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COMMUNITY  TRAINING  SCHOOL  SERIES     NORMAN  E.  RICHARDSON.  Editor 


Pageantry  and  Dramatics 

in 

Religious  Education 


WILLIAM  V.  MEREDITH 


X 


THE  ABINGDON  PRESS 
NEW  YORK  CINCINNATI 


Copyright,  192 1,  by 

WILLIAM  V.  MEREDITH 

All  Rights  Reserved 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 


DEDICATED  TO  MY  FATHER  AND 
MOTHER,  PIONEER  MINISTERS  OF 
JESUS  CHRIST  IN  NORTHWEST  KANSAS 


CONTENTS 

chapter  page 

Editor's  Introduction 9 

Author's  Preface 11 

I.  Drama  the  Handmaid  of  Religion 13 

The  Drama  of  Primitive  People:  Drama  as  prayer 
— drama  the  Bible  of  savage  peoples.  The  Greek 
Theater:  Its  origin.  Hebrew  Drama:  The  "Let's- 
pretend"  play  of  childhood — Ezekiel's  dramatic  pro- 
ject— dramatic  dialogue — a  vehicle  for  literary  expres- 
sion. Drama  in  the  Early  Christian  Church:  Its 
origin — development  of  miracle  plays — morality  plays. 
The  Church  and  Modern  Drama:  The  festival — the 
missionary  education  movement — the  democratized 
theater — the  pedagogical  movement. 

II.  Play  in  Education 29 

Development  of  the  Play  Idea:  The  Greeks  and 

play;  recognition — the  early  church  and  play;  renun- 
ciation— the  disciplinarians;  rejection — recreational  en- 
thusiasts; play  as  medicine — the  "camoufiagers" ;  work 
disguised  as  play — the  followers  of  Rousseau;  complete 
recognition.  Play  the  Natural  Way  in  Education: 
Nature's  schoolroom — nature's  curriculum.  The  Play 
Way  an  Efficient  Method  of  Teaching:  Promotes 
self-activity — eliminates  waste  effort — furnishes  neces- 
sary discipline. 

III.  The  Dramatic  Motive  in  Play 42 

The  Dramatic  Motive:  Spontaneous  dramatic  ac- 
tivity is  real  play — dramatic  play  colors  all  life — the 
desire  for  dramatic  expression  is  instinctive.  Satisfy- 
ing THE  Dramatic  Motive:  Satisfaction  by  inner  imi- 
tation and  dramatic  imagination — satisfaction  through 
spiritual  expression — satisfaction  through  physical  ac- 
tivity. Proper  Regulation  Is  Essential:  Results 
of  unregulated  play — possibilities  of  regulated  dramatic 
expression. 

IV.  What  Is  Meant  by  Educational  Dramatics? 54 

Definition:  Outstanding  characteristics.  The  Test 
of  the  Educational  Method:  Form  not  indicative — 
finish  not  indicative — development  of  participants  the 
test.    Mental  Processes  Involved:  Dramatic  illusion. 

5 


6  CONTENTS 

chapter  page 

Difference  between  Educational  Dramatics  and 
Professional  Drama:  The  audience — selecting  the 
cast — illusion — commercialization — ^the  art  of  the 
people. 

V.  Selecting  the  Theme 66 

The  Age  Interests:  The  make-believe  period — the 
imaginative  period — the  heroic  period — the  period  of 
group  loyalty — the  period  of  romantic  idealism — the 
period  of  adulthood.  Social  Interests:  International 
interests — national  interests — community  interests — 
educational  recreation.     The  Text:  Play  lists. 

VI.  Story  Playing  and  Other  Simple  Forms  of  Dra- 
matization       84 

Inducing  Spontaneous  Speech  and  Action:  Ques- 
tions and  suggestions — the  child's  viewpoint  and  limi- 
tations regarded — the  spirit  of  the  director  important. 
A  Written  Text  Not  Essential:  Dramatic  imitation 
— common  incidents  dramatized — impromptu  repro- 
ductions— story  plays — original  productions.  Pro- 
logues, Preludes,  and  Interpolations:  Prologues — 
musical  preludes — interpolations — introductions  of  play- 
ers. Aids  to  Dramatic  Illusion:  Costumes — proper- 
ties— stage  settings — grease  paints. 

VII.  A  Means  of  Teaching 102 

Educational  Dramatics  Imparts  Useful  Knowl- 
edge: Teaching  biblical  geography — teaching  Bible  his- 
tory— ^interpreting  social  and  moral  ideals — teaching 
biography — teaching  principles  of  health  and  hygiene. 
Educational  Dramatics  Creates  Proper  Attitudes: 
Appreciation  of  art — patriotism — world-wide  sympathy. 
Educational  Dramatics  Determines  Character:  It 
moves  men  to  action — summary. 

VIII.  Helps  in  Producing 122 

The  Personnel:  How  chosen — play  analysis — move- 
ment and  grouping — securing  dominance.  Aids  in 
Creating  Dramatic  Illusion:  Costumes — properties 
— stage-setting — color — music.  Makeshifts:  Improper 
accessories. 

IX.  Organization  for  a  Large  Community  Pageant.  . .  139 
Preliminary  Plans:  Sponsoring  organizations — pub- 
licity— the  executive  committee.  Production  Person- 
nel: The  pageant  director — the  business  manager — the 
stage  manager — personnel  committee — the  costume 
manager — the  property  manager — manager  of  lights — 
musical  director. 


CONTENTS  7 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

X.  Types  of  Dramatic  Productions 146 

Individuals  as  Players:  Tableaux — the  pantomime 
charades — stunts — the  masque — the  play — the  pageant 
—dramatic  cast  reading.  Inanimate  Stage  Person- 
nel: Puppet  play — bottle  dolls  and  projects — dramati- 
zing through  picture  drawing. 

XI.  Types  of  Dramatic  Productions  (Continued) 163 

Musical  Drama:  Singing  games  and  folk  dances — 
dramatic  songs — the  cantata — the  grand  opera  and 
operettas — the  oratorio.  Screen  Plays — Shadow  plays 
— the  motion  pictures.  Exclusively  Religious  Pro- 
ductions: Missionary  demonstrations — Bible  story- 
plays — programs — ^passion  plays. 

XII.  Where  to  Use  Educational  Dramatics 177 

The  Church:  Sunday  evening  services — ^young  peo- 
ple's societies — missionary  societies — children's  Sunday 
afternoon  story  hour — social  evenings — church  conven- 
tions. The  Church  School:  The  study  period — 
opening  service  of  worship — the  religious  day  school. 
Interdenominational  and  Nondenominational  Or- 
ganizations: Camps — clubs.  The  Community:  Holy 
and  hoUdays — annual  gatherings — simple  dramatiza- 
tions for  group  meetings.  The  Home  :  Home  recreation 
and  dramatic  festivals — a  play  training  school — a  play 
training  school  of  religious  expression. 

XIII.  The  Values  of  Educational  Dramatics 194 

The  Education  of  the  Participants:  Emotions  are 
regulated — cultural  interests  created — a  substantial 
moraUty  is  achieved — a  mieans  of  religious  expression 
is  furnished.  Community  Interests  Are  Advanced: 
Character-building  recreation  is  provided — social  con- 
tacts are  made  possible — foreigners  are  Americanized. 
Kingdom  Interests  Are  Advanced:  World-problems 
presented  vividly — vocational  guidance  supplied — world 
evangelization. 

Index 209 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

"Rebecca  at  the  Well,"  Given  at  the  Roseville  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  Newark,  New  Jersey Frontispiece 

facing  page 
First  Aid  Dramatization 50 

Story  Playing  in  Chinese  Costume 92 

Bottle  Doll  Player  Folk 108 

Scene  from  a  Missionary  Pageant,  "Siddartha  and  the 
Eight-Fold  Path" 154 

A  Scene    from    the  Dramatization  of  "Daniel  in  the 
Lions'  Den" 172 

Scene  from  Pageant  "The  Wayfarer" 206 


EDITOR'S  INTRODUCTION 

There  are  two  questions  that  stand  out  clearly  in 
the  minds  of  religious  leaders  concerning  the  use  of 
dramatics  and  pageantry  in  teaching  religion.  First, 
in  view  of  the  nature  and  meaning  of  religion,  is  there 
not  a  certain  incongruity  in  their  use  for  such  a  sacred 
purpose?  Are  these  methods  not  more  suited  to  the 
teaching  of  secular  subjects? 

If  it  can  be  shown  that  there  is  no  impropriety  in 
adopting  them  there  remains  a  second  question,  namely, 
Can  they  be  depended  upon  to  conserve  those  spirit- 
ually dynamic  elements  which  Christianity,  evangel- 
ically interpreted,  demands  ? 

The  answers  to  these  two  questions  have  been  given 
in  an  unusually  clear  and  comprehensive  way  by  Mr. 
Meredith  in  the  following  pages.  The  first  four  chap- 
ters are  devoted  to  the  consideration  of  the  inherent 
right  of  pageantry  and  dramatics  to  become  again  the 
handmaids  of  religion.  The  moral  and  rational  justifi- 
cation of  making  use  of  these  very  effective  and 
ancient  instruments  in  communicating  religious  truth 
to  the  people  is  set  forth  in  convincing  terms.  In 
chapters  five  to  twelve,  inclusive,  there  are  described 
in  an  interesting  and  practical  way  the  steps  to  be 
taken  in  the  discovery  and  use  of  amateur  dramatic 
talent  in  the  work  of  the  local  church.  The  question 
as  to  how  to  proceed  is  answered  in  detail.  In  the 
closing  chapter  Mr.  Meredith  makes  a  particularly 
strong  appeal  for  the  widest  use  of  educational  dra- 


10  INTRODUCTION 

matics.  The  fact  that  dramatics  often  can  be  used  to 
organize,  arouse,  and  to  direct  emotions  toward  moral 
ends  suggests  that  they  have  come  to  the  Kingdom 
at  a  time  of  very  great  spiritual  need. 

This  volume  is  essentially  an  introductory  study. 
The  point  of  view  reflects  a  sensitive  appreciation  of 
the  noblest  traditions  of  the  church  and  a  keen  aware- 
ness of  the  forward  steps  now  being  made  possible 
through  the  proper  use  of  pageantry  and  dramatics. 

Norman  E.  Richardson. 


AUTHOR'S  PREFACE 

America  has  not  become  stage  struck.  She  has  but 
come  into  her  natural  inheritance,  and,  Hke  a  youth 
in  its  teens,  has  awakened  to  an  appreciation  of  the 
beautiful.  The  new  drama  movement  is  an  outward 
manifestation  of  this  inner  mood.  As  the  adolescent 
boy,  when  his  eyes  are  opened  to  the  romance  and 
wonder  of  the  world,  acquires  a  different  manner  of 
speaking  and  acting,  so  America  has  begun  to  wash  the 
grime  of  commercialism  from  her  face  and  to  express 
herself  aesthetically.  Almost  every  city  of  any  size  has 
attempted  some  performance  in  the  nature  of  a  pageant 
or  festival,  and  there  is  hardly  a  village  which  has  not 
developed  what  some  choose  to  call  a  mania  for  dra- 
matic production. 

Dramatization  is  also  quite  commonly  accepted 
as  an  educational  method.  Many  public  schools  and 
church  schools  are  now  teaching  curriculum  subjects 
in  the  classroom  through  directed  dramatic  play.  Thus 
they  train  in  the  arts,  hand-crafts,  hygiene,  and  morals. 
Leading  ministers  and  other  churchmen  of  nearly  all 
denominations  have  actively  participated  in  pageant  or 
drama  production,  that  they  might  more  effectively 
teach  the  subject  of  religion.  Surely,  a  movement  of 
such  scope  and  magnitude  merits  our  careful  consid- 
eration. 

This  book  is  an  attempt  at  interpretation.  It  deals 
to  a  certain  extent  with  methods,  but  it  is  intended  to 
be  more  than  a  handbook  or  manual.    It  is  a  survey  of 

II 


12  AUTHOR'S  PREFACE 

the  field.  It  is  hoped  that  it  will  help  to  remove  some 
of  the  current  prejudice  against  the  use  of  dramatics 
and  pageantry  in  religious  education.  Little  origi- 
nality of  treatment  or  subjectmatter  is  claimed.  Many 
of  the  ideas  expressed  are  derived  from  a  study  of 
source  material  listed  in  the  chapter  bibliographies. 
Valuable  criticisms  and  suggestions  have  likewise  been 
given  by  many  of  the  pioneers  and  leaders  in  the  new 
Educational  Dramatic  movement.  Wherever  possible 
these  authorities  have  been  given  credit  in  the  body 
of  the  text. 

Grateful  acknowledgment  is  here  tendered  to  co- 
laborers,  writers,  and  all  others  who  have  so  graciously 
added  to  the  content  and  value  of  this  book.  Special 
acknowledgment  is  made  to  Emma  Sheridan  Fry. 
From  her  rich  experience  as  writer,  dramatic  director, 
and  formulator  of  the  principles  of  Educational 
Dramatics  she  has  contributed  to  the  thought  value  of 
this  text,  promoted  clarity  of  expression,  and  pre- 
vented misleading  statement  of  principle  and  method. 
The  writer,  likewise,  acknowledges  his  great  indebted- 
ness to  the  editor  of  this  series.  His  wise  suggestions 
in  regard  to  subjectmatter,  treatment,  and  organization 
have  brought  the  book  to  its  present  form. 


CHAPTER   I 
DRAMA^  THE  HANDMAID  OF  RELIGION 

Religion  has  been  a  mother  to  the  arts.  She  re- 
joiced at  their  birth,  taught  them  to  take  their  first 
steps,  and  watched  with  satisfaction  their  growth  and 
development ;  and  yet,  one  by  one,  they  have  left  their 
sheltering  home.  This  was  not  because  they  were  lack- 
ing in  love  and  appreciation.  Always  they  have  sung 
their  mother's  praises.  It  was  due  to  their  environ- 
ment. Gray  walls,  solemn  matins,  and  the  sacred  hush 
of  the  church  stifled  laughter.  They  were  repressive. 
Youth's  imagination  craved  freedom.  Having  once 
glimpsed  the  green  meadow,  the  sunlight  and  the  ex- 
panse of  the  out  of  doors,  the  youth  of  the  church 
hesitatingly  and  yet  joyfully  stepped  into  the  beauties 
and  opportunities  of  a  new  world. 

Everything  would  have  been  well  had  religion 
"chosen  the  better  part,"  that  of  going  along  with 
them.  She  might  have  been  a  guide  and  an  inspira- 
tion to  even  loftier  expressions  than  they  had  yet  at- 
tained. Left  without  a  mother's  care,  however,  it  was 
not  strange  that  there  should  have  been  indiscretions, 
and  that  Drama,  the  most  beautiful,  the  most  vivacious 
of  all  the  daughters,  should  have  been  guilty  of  devia- 

1  Theatricals  and  the  professional  theater  are  not  here  under  consideration.  The 
theater  as  an  institution  and  as  at  present  conducted  has  little  in  common  with 
Religious  Education  or  Educational  Dramatics,  and  so  is  discussed  only  in  its 
limited  relationship.  A  clear  exposition  of  the  essential  differences  between  the 
professional  and  educational  method  is  given  in  Chapter  IV. 

13 


14         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

tions  which,  to  say  the  least,  have  frequently  been 
unworthy  of  such  a  mother. 

The  new  attitude  of  religion  which  permits  her  to 
leave  the  sanctuary  and  mingle  with  her  children,  has 
reestablished  the  mother-and-daughter  relationship. 
While  we  must  not  expect  a  sudden  change,  a  bene- 
ficial influence  has  already  been  felt.  A  new  spirit  has 
taken  hold  of  the  church,  a  spirit  of  practical  idealism. 
Henceforth  we  can  look  for  a  new  use  of  the  dramatic 
arts  which  will  transcend  even  the  highest  hopes  of  the 
former  days. 

A  knowledge  of  the  relationship  which  has  existed, 
and  which  again  exists  between  drama  and  religion  as 
suggested  in  the  preceding  paragraphs  is  needful  for 
an  understanding  of  the  subjects  hereafter  treated. 

The  Drama  of  Primitive  People 

A  close  relationship  is  observed  between  the  dramatic 
practices  of  "child  races'*  and  their  religion.  In  fact, 
they  seem  to  be  inseparable. 

Drama  as  prayer. — Among  primitive  people  the 
drama  often  performs  the  function  of  prayer,  inas- 
much as  it  is  an  acting  out  of  desires,  which  at  a  later 
stage  in  civilization  may  be  expressed  through  the 
medium  of  direct  invocation.  Thus  we  find  a  wide 
range  of  dramatic  rites  and  observances  through 
which  savage  people  hope  to  gain  the  good  will  of  the 
deities.  When  rain  is  needed  for  the  crops  the  fact  is 
made  known  to  the  Rain  God  by  some  act  such  as  the 
pouring  out  of  water  on  the  ground.  If  food  is 
desired,  a  successful  hunt  is  portrayed  in  which  some 
of  the  people  may  take  the  part  of  animals,  others  the 
hunters.     If  the  requests  are  not  granted,  it  is  not  at 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  15 

all  infrequent  that  dramatic  acts  which  are  deemed 
especially  pleasing  to  the  deities  are  performed — sacri- 
fices, actual  and  simulated. 

Drama  the  Bible  of  savage  peoples. — Drama 
often  becomes  the  Bible  of  the  savage.  Through  it  he 
is  taught  the  common  standards  of  morality,  duty  to 
the  tribe,  courtesy  to  elders,  and  respect  and  venera- 
tion due  the  totem.  It  is  likewise  his  history,  for 
through  it  he  often  enacts  the  great  deeds  of  his  actual 
and  legendary  heroes.  Sometimes  these  performances 
are  quite  elaborate  and  extend  over  a  period  of  many 
days.  In  the  childhood  of  the  race  drama  also  may 
take  the  place  of  written  literature  as  evidenced  by  the 
folk  festivals  and  dramatic  ceremonies,  the  weird  and 
spectacular  funeral  rites  extolling  the  virtues  of  the 
departed,  and  the  puppet  presentations  of  racial  epics. 

The  Greek  Theater 

The  Greek  theater,  which  contributed  largely  to  the 
advancement  of  histrionic  art,  was  religious  in  nature. 
Even  when  objectionable  practices  were  introduced  the 
religious  element  remained.  The  secularization  of  the 
drama  and  its  divorcement  from  religious  ceremonial 
came  at  a  later  date. 

Its  origin. — Greek  drama  had  its  origin  in  religious 
ceremonials.  Both  tragedy  and  comedy  developed  in 
connection  with  religious  worship.  As  in  primitive 
dramas,  entertainment  values  were  rarely  considered. 
The  performances  were  religious  functions  in  which  all 
the  people  participated.  Even  when  at  a  later  date 
special  parts  were  assigned,  and  writing,  acting,  and 
chorus  work  became  professions,  it  is  said  that  the 
religious  element  persisted. 


i6         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

We  know  that  in  connection  with  the  festivals  of 
Dionysius  the  priests  were  in  attendance  and  were 
given  places  of  honor;  and  that  writers  and  actors 
were  regarded  as  religious  leaders  and  accorded  privi- 
leges denied  other  classes.  The  Greek  theater  itself 
possessed  a  sanctity  in  the  eyes  of  the  people.  It  was 
considered  quite  as  much  a  sacred  place  as  the  temple. 
Offenses  committed  there  were  regarded  as  sacrilegious 
and  were  punished  with  severity. 

Hebrew  Drama 

A  study  of  the  Bible  reveals  the  activity  of  the  dra- 
matic instinct  in  the  life  of  the  Hebrews.  While  there 
are  no  biblical  productions  intended  for  actors,  refer- 
ences are  frequently  made  which  show  that  dramatic 
expression  was  common  to  this  people. 

The  "Let's-pretend"  play  of  childhood. — Jesus 
had  observed  the  children  playing  funeral  and  wed- 
ding, and  he  indirectly  mentioned  the  fact  in  the  words, 
"But  whereunto  shall  I  liken  this  generation?  It  is 
like  unto  children  sitting  in  the  markets,  and  calling 
unto  their  fellows,  and  saying.  We  have  piped  unto 
you,  and  ye  have  not  danced;  we  have  mourned  unto 
you,  and  ye  have  not  lamented." 

EzekieFs  dramatic  project. — The  first  few  verses 
of  the  fourth  chapter  of  Ezekiel  clearly  show  the 
resemblance  between  certain  of  the  methods  employed 
by  the  prophets  and  those  used  by  modern  educators 
who  are  now  utilizing  bottle  dolls  and  toy  figures  to 
tell  stories  and  teach  facts  in  a  vivid  way.  ''Thou 
also,  son  of  man,  take  thee  a  tile,  and  lay  it  before 
thee,  and  portray  upon  it  the  city,  even  Jerusalem :  and 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  17 

lay  siege  against  it,  and  build  a  fort  against  it,  and 
cast  a  mount  against  it;  set  the  camp  also  against  it, 
and  set  battering  rams  against  it  round  about.  More- 
over take  thou  unto  thee  an  iron  pan,  and  set  it  for  a 
wall  of  iron  between  thee  and  the  city :  and  set  thy  face 
toward  it,  and  it  shall  be  besieged,  and  thou  shalt  lay 
siege  against  it.  This  shall  be  a  sign  to  the  house  of 
Israel." 

Dramatic  dialogue. — An  example  of  dramatic  dia- 
logue interspersed  with  songs  and  interpretive  dancing 
is  given  in  the  passage  which  refers  to  the  action  of 
Miriam,  the  sister  of  Moses,  as  she,  timbrel  in  hand, 
answers  the  chorus  of  women,  the  occasion  being  the 
deliverance  of  Israel  from  the  hand  of  Pharaoh.  The 
song  of  Moses,  in  all  probability,  was  acted  out  in  a 
similar  way,  as  was  also  the  dance  of  David  before  the 
ark  upon  its  return  to  the  Holy  City. 

A  vehicle  for  literary  expression.— As  the  story- 
tellers of  the  race  have  kept  the  folk  tales  alive  by 
retelling  them  from  generation  to  generation,  so,  in 
all  probability,  have  some  of  our  choicest  ceremonial 
psalms  been  preserved  for  us  through  action,  music, 
and  dialogue  until  they  were  incorporated  in  the  Holy 
Scriptures.  In  the  Literary  Study  of  the  Bible^  Moul- 
ton  shows  how  the  dramatic  instinct  has  projected  itself 
in  nearly  all  types  of  biblical  literature :  "Hebrew  litera- 
ture has  not  developed  a  separate  and  distinct  drama; 
although,  as  if  to  compensate  for  this,  the  dramatic 
impulse  is  found  in  Hebrew  to  invade  other  regions 
of  literature,  including  such  departments  as  might  have 
seemed  most  impervious  to  it.  The  current  finding  no 
channel  has  spread  and  diffused  itself.    The  reader  of 

*  D.  C.  Heath  &  Co.,  publishers.     Used  by  special  permission. 


i8         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

the  Bible  knows  that  he  will  find  in  it  no  acted  play- 
like  the  plays  of  Shakespeare.  But,  on  the  other  hand, 
he  will  find  lyric  poems  especially  dramatic  in  tone,  and 
in  Solomon's  Song  a  lyric  idyl  that  impresses  some  of 
its  readers  as  a  complete  drama.  He  will  find,  again, 
philosophy  taking  a  dramatic  shape.  In  the  book  of 
Job  the  dramatic  form  reaches  an  intensity  not  ex- 
ceeded in  any  literature;  yet  even  here  there  is  no  in- 
dependent drama,  but  the  dramatized  discussion  is 
made  to  rest  on  a  basis  of  epic  story.  What  is  still 
more  surprising,  the  discourses  of  prophecy  are  found 
to  be  leavened  by  the  prophecy  which  will  in  this 
work  be  called  the  Rhapsody  which  is  preeminent  in 
the  closeness  with  which  it  approaches  to  Drama.  If 
such  things  could  be  made  the  subject  of  measurement, 
it  would  be  safe  to  predict  that  the  mass  of  dramatic 
material  in  biblical  literature  would  be  not  less  than 
that  found  in  other  literatures  where  drama  is  a  distinct 
form." 

Drama  in  the  Early  Christian  Church 

Its  origin. — Two  causes  made  drama  an  expression 
of  the  Christian  Church.  The  first  was  the  desire  to 
interpret  to  an  unlettered  people  the  facts  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion.  That  converts  might  be  won  to  the  faith, 
visual  methods  of  a  dramatic  nature  were  used  to 
overcome  the  difference  in  language.  The  pagan  fes- 
tivals with  their  ceremonies  were  taken  over  and  Chris- 
tianized. Small  modeled  figures,  grouped  to  represent 
biblical  themes,  were  exhibited  in  the  churches  during 
certain  seasons  of  the  year.  Saint  Francis  of  Assisi 
sought  to  interpret  biblical  facts  by  the  use  of  pan- 
tomime.   There  exists  a  record  of  the  Nativity  scene  as 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  19 

portrayed  by  him.  Through  the  use  of  certain  prop- 
erties, animals,  and  actual  personages  he  portrayed  a 
living  picture  which  could  not  have  been  without  its 
effect,  as  evidenced  by  the  influence  of  such  tableaux 
even  in  our  own  times.  At  a  little  later  date  it  is  re- 
ported that  a  German  clergyman  assisted  his  people, 
who  were  not  familiar  with  the  Latin,  by  unrolling  a 
picture  scroll  during  the  service,  thus  making  it  possible 
for  them  to  understand.  The  extensive  use  by  the 
church  of  painting  and  sculpturing  is  another  mani- 
festation of  this  desire  for  interpretation. 

The  second  reason  for  the  production  of  drama  in 
the  Christian  Church  was  the  inherent  urge  for  dra- 
matic expression.  Even  during  the  bitterest  opposi- 
tion in  the  early  centuries,  a  period  in  which  actors 
were  not  received  into  the  communion  except  on  con- 
dition that  they  relinquish  their  profession,  and  mem- 
bers who  persisted  in  attending  this  form  of  amuse- 
ment were  dismissed,  this  spirit  was  continually  mani- 
festing itself.  Ezekiel,  a  Jew,  wrote  a  tragedy  based 
on  the  book  of  Exodus  during  the  second  century.  In 
the  fourth  century  Apollinarius,  the  elder,  a  priest  of 
Laodicea,  and  his  son  w^ere  interested  in  the  dramatic 
field.  The  father  put  certain  parts  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment into  play  form.  The  son  recast  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  Platonic  dialogues. 

Development  of  miracle  plays. — In  the  ninth  and 
tenth  centuries  an  elaborate  change  in  the  church  ritual 
was  made  through  the  addition  of  songs  and  dialogues 
of  a  dramatic  nature.  This  led  to  biblical  dramas. 
One  of  the  best  of  these  known  as  the  Quem  Quaerites 
paraphrases  the  account  of  the  resurrection  story  as 
recorded  in  the  twenty-eighth  chapter  of   Matthew. 


20         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

At  first  it  took  the  form  of  a  dialogued  chant,  but 
later,  as  it  developed,  it  was  carried  out  in  detail  of 
action — one  of  the  clergy  taking  the  part  of  the  angel 
at  the  tomb,  and  others,  dressed  in  long  garments,  the 
parts  of  the  women.  From  this  time  on  the  secular- 
ization of  the  drama  was  a  slow  but  gradual  process. 
The  dramatization  of  outstanding  events  in  the  lives 
of  the  saints  was  introduced,  and  then  plays  dealing 
with  the  whole  cycle  of  biblical  history  from  the  crea- 
tion to  the  final  Judgment. 

Necessity  made  many  changes.  Originally  all  the 
parts  were  taken  by  the  priests.  Elaboration,  however, 
made  this  almost  impossible  and  the  laity,  members  of 
trade  guilds,  and  also  wandering  jugglers  gradually 
supplanted  them.  This,  in  a  way,  commercialized  the 
performances,  since  such  actors  received  definite  sal- 
aries and  were  selected  by  pageant  masters  for  their 
particular  histrionic  ability.  The  adoption  of  the  Cor- 
pus Christi  festival  by  the  guilds  of  many  cities,  as  the 
chief  festival  of  the  year,  called  for  elaborate  pagean- 
try. The  York  pageant,  for  instance,  at  one  time  had 
as  many  as  fifty-seven  plays  produced  by  as  many 
different  guilds. 

Morality  plays. — During  the  fourteenth  century 
another  drama  type,  known  as  the  morality  play,  was 
popular.  It  differed  from  the  miracle  play  in  that 
instead  of  picturing  biblical  incidents  it  dealt  in  an 
allegorical  way  with  moral  themes  in  which  personi- 
fied powers  of  evil  and  good  struggled  for  the  pos- 
session of  man's  soul.  They  were  what  might  have 
been  called  exhortative  dramas,  their  purpose  being 
the  portrayal  of  the  effects  of  sin.  Many  were  long, 
and,  to  us,  they  would  be  wearisome,  but  to  the  people 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  21 

of  that  period  they  were  no  doubt  of  moral  and  spirit- 
ual value. 

At  a  later  time  these  morality  plays  became  polemics 
in  the  hands  of  both  the  Protestants  and  Catholics,  by 
means  of  which  each  held  up  to  ridicule  the  beHefs  of 
the  opposing  body.  They  became  as  newspapers  and 
served  to  mold  public  opinion  as  do  our  propaganda 
plays  today.  They  were  promoted  for  the  distinct 
purpose  of  influencing  people  to  take  a  definite  stand  on 
controversial  questions.  The  play  Everyman,  which 
comes  down  to  us  from  the  latter  part  of  the  fifteenth 
century,  and  which  with  changes  has  recently  been 
produced  in  England  and  America,  is  an  example  of 
the  best  of  these  productions. 

The  Church  and  Modern  Drama 

The  question  may  be  asked,  **Why  the  present  great 
interest  in  dramatization  outside  theater  limits?" 
Many  forces  have  brought  the  drama  into  this  gen- 
eral recognition.  The  World  War,  while  not  a  direct 
cause,  has  stimulated  such  activity  as  nothing  else  could 
have  done.  Some  sort  of  entertainment  was  demanded 
which  would  appeal  to  the  army  man,  and  make  him 
forget  for  a  time  the  business  of  soldiering.  Profes- 
sional entertainers  and  actors  served,  not  only  as  per- 
formers but  also  as  trainers,  and  men  with  special 
qualifications  from  the  ranks  were  detailed  for  training 
by  those  in  command.  As  a  result,  practically  every 
American  unit  in  France  had  its  "show  troupe,"  and 
our  men,  while  they  remained  in  the  States,  or  in  the 
training  areas  in  France  and  England,  enjoyed  min- 
strels, musical  comedies  (many  of  them  being  original 
compositions),  and  all  manner  of  dramatic  entertain- 


22         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

ments.  All  over  the  country,  in  response  to  the  same 
general  need,  various  types  of  dramatic  productions 
v^ere  sponsored.  No  one  will  forget  the  war  pageants 
and  parades,  the  spectacular  demonstrations  of  a  dra- 
matic nature  undertaken  as  community  projects.  Even 
since  the  war  the  desire  to  give  expression  to  poetic 
and  heroic  thoughts  has  been  noticeable.  There  arises 
a  new  spirit  of  idealism,  a  longing  to  understand,  and 
a  resulting  effort  to  interpret  the  mysteries  of  life. 

The  writer  feels,  however,  that  war  can  be  regarded 
only  as  a  quickener  of  the  desire  for  dramatic  expres- 
sion. Credit  for  giving  drama  its  new  and  proper  place 
in  American  life  should  be  given,  chiefly,  to  four  other 
movements  which  will  be  discussed  separately,  stress 
being  placed  upon  their  relationship  to  the  church. 

The  festival. — Public  safety  and  regard  for  per- 
sonal welfare  have  demanded  the  regulation  of  national 
and  community  activities.  For  instance,  the  old 
Fourth  of  July,  with  its  noise,  conflagrations,  and  acci- 
dents, has  been  tabooed.  Perhaps  not  altogether  for 
artistic  reasons,  it  has  been  replaced  by  sane  and 
aesthetic  demonstrations  of  one  type  and  another — 
most  of  them  being  community  projects,  which  utilize 
the  most  talented  local  artists.  These  festivals  and 
public  functions  find  expression  chiefly  in  dramatic 
form.  Through  such  action  large  numbers  of  people 
may  be  utilized  to  express  in  a  beautiful  and  realistic 
manner  the  emotions  the  group  wishes  visualized. 
During  the  war  period  street  pageants  of  the  proces- 
sional nature  were  very  common.  Relief  organiza- 
tions have  used  the  pageant-drama  as  a  means  of  cre- 
ating sympathy  for  and  an  interest  in  the  causes  they 
represented. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  23 

The  church  has  not  stood  aloof  from  these  dramatic 
efforts;  in  fact,  her  people  have  been  largely  instru- 
mental in  their  promotion,  and  she  herself  at  times  has, 
as  sponsor,  even  opened  the  doors  of  her  own  audi- 
torium for  the  dramatic  presentation  of  causes  such 
as  those  espoused  by  the  Red  Cross,  Salvation  Army, 
and  Y.  M.  C.  A. 

It  has  been  to  the  community  festivals  of  a  religious 
type,  however,  that  the  church  has  given  chief  consid- 
eration. The  festival  spirit  has  been  used  to  visualize 
the  great  truths  of  Christianity.  The  community 
Christmas  tree  with  appropriate  songs  and  dramatic 
portrayal  of  nativity  scenes  is  now  a  symbol  in  nation- 
wide use. 

Other  religious  occasions  are  celebrated  in  like 
spirit.  It  is  estimated  that  for  the  sunrise  Easter  serv- 
ice of  1920  between  fifteen  and  twenty  thousand  peo- 
ple climbed  Mount  Rubidoux,  in  the  vicinity  of  River- 
side, California.  The  cross  was  there  on  the  rugged 
mountain — seen  in  the  moonlight  by  the  eager  and  ex- 
pectant throng  as  they  climbed  to  points  of  vantage.  It 
told  its  story.  But  the  risen  Christ  was  there  also — 
made  manifest  through  the  glory  of  a  perfect  sunrise 
and  appropriate  service  of  song  and  praise.  Through 
this  symbolical  pageantry  a  feeling  of  deepest  rever- 
ence was  created.  The  resurrection  became  a  vital 
thing — a  part  of  experience  rather  than  a  fact  in  reli- 
gious history.  Those  who  were  there  became,  for  the 
time,  the  disciples  and  lived  the  period  of  sorrow  and 
anxiety.  It  was  the  Holy  City  that  lay  dimly  outlined 
before  them,  and  it  was  the  presence  of  the  risen  Christ 
that  was  felt  as  the  darkness  of  the  night  gave  way  to 
the  beauty  of  a  new  day. 


24         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

Mention  should  also  be  made  of  the  sacred  musical 
festivals  celebrated  from  time  to  time  at  Bethlehem, 
Pennsylvania.  They  have  not  only  influenced  the  life 
of  that  community  but  have  by  the  spirit  and  manner 
in  which  they  are  celebrated  moved  other  towns  and 
cities  to  like  means  of  expression. 

The  missionary  education  movement. — The  pag- 
eant Darkness  and  Light,  written  by  John  Oxenham, 
was  the  first  production  of  a  missionary  nature  to  have 
universal  recognition  in  America — being  presented  at 
"The  World  in  Boston,"  and  later  in  many  of  the 
larger  cities  of  the  country.  In  a  tactful,  pleasing,  and 
yet  forceful  way  it  portrayed  missionary  facts.  Its 
propaganda  and  entertainment  values  soon  became  gen- 
erally known,  and  its  beauty  and  artistic  qualities 
demonstrated  the  further  possibilities  of  such  dramatic 
presentation. 

The  success  of  this  production  and  its  cordial  recep- 
tion caused  the  creation  of  a  large  number  of  smaller 
pageants  with  distinctly  religious  and  missionary  mo- 
tifs. These  have  been  specially  valuable  from  the 
propaganda  standpoint.  For  the  most  part  they  have 
been  written  by  missionaries  or  those  with  a  special 
knowledge  of  foreign  fields.  Presentation  of  fact  has 
been  the  main  consideration.  As  a  result  photographs, 
cross  sections  of  life  rather  than  works  of  art,  have 
been  shown  (the  photograph  shows  minute  details; 
the  work  of  art  eliminates  the  unessential  and  focuses 
attention  to  one  central  idea).  Practically  all  the  mis- 
sion boards  of  the  several  churches  have,  from  time 
to  time,  distributed  these  productions  through  their 
special  channels.  In  the  East,  especially,  a  wide  cir- 
culation has  been  given  to  these  life  studies. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  25 

The  Joint  Centenary  Celebration  of  the  Methodist 
Churches  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  in  1919,  through  the 
presentation  of  The  Wayfarer,  and  over  one  hundred 
and  twenty  smaller  demonstrations  and  pageants, 
added  stimulus  to  the  drama  movement.  Almost  simul- 
taneously the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church  created  a 
Drama  Department.  A  White  List  of  Productions — 
religious  dramas  which  could  be  recommended — was 
distributed  and  a  few  of  the  pageants  were  promoted 
in  connection  with  the  Nation-Wide  Campaign  for  the 
Church's  Mission.  Other  denominations  have  likewise 
given  attention  to  this  phase  of  missionary  teaching, 
as  evidenced  by  the  large  number  of  demonstrations 
and  pageants  recently  printed  and  distributed,  and  also 
to  the  use  that  has  been  made  of  these  same  produc- 
tions in  national  church  gatherings — the  Congregation- 
alists  in  the  Congregational  World  in  Boston,  1920, 
and  the  Northern  Baptists  in  their  Exposition  at 
Rochester,  New  York,  of  the  same  year. 

The  democratized  theater. — A  new  drama  move- 
ment has  done  much  to  promote  amateur  and  semi- 
professional  entertainments.  The  writer  has  called  it 
**The  Democratized  Theater."  Many  organizations 
are  its  active  supporters,  chief  among  which  are  the 
Drama  League  of  America,  the  New  York  Drama 
League,  and  the  Dramatic  Departments  of  the  Red 
Cross,  Y.  W.  C.  A.,  Community  Service,  and  the  dif- 
ferent churches. 

The  Little  Theater  Movement,  the  Dramatic  Move- 
ment in  the  Colleges,  the  Jewish  Art  Theater,  the 
Drama  Clubs  in  many  of  the  settlements  and  churches, 
and  the  large  community  undertakings  of  pageant  or 
festival  nature  which  are  directed  by  permanent  organ- 


26         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

izations,  are  some  of  the  more  common  manifesta- 
tions of  the  new  spirit.  Its  purpose  is  to  democratize 
art,  making  it  the  thing  of  the  people  instead  of  that 
of  the  few  professionals. 

This  new  spirit  aims  to  do  away  with  commercial- 
ism by  sponsoring  community  dramatic  enterprises — 
enterprises  which  will  develop  the  sesthetic  and  creative 
ability  of  amateurs  and  by  so  doing  change  the  valua- 
tion put  upon  productions.  With  it  monetary  con- 
siderations are  not  the  determining  factors.  Non- 
commercial dramatizations  of  social  and  educational 
value  are  encouraged  and  experiments  of  all  types 
which  might  make  a  people's  histrionic  art  are  con- 
stantly being  undertaken.  It  produces  in  the  streets, 
in  the  parks,  in  made-over  store  buildings,  and  in  one 
locality  it  has  even  taken  over  an  old  barn  as  a  play- 
house. Its  workers,  as  a  rule,  are  not  professionals, 
though  often  potential  artists — those  who  have  the 
desire  to  express  themselves  through  some  of  the  op- 
portunities made  possible  by  the  dramatic  arts. 

A  movement  of  this  type,  sponsored  by  organizations 
interested  in  aesthetic  dramaturgy,  and  at  the  same  time 
to  an  even  greater  extent  in  social  and  spiritual  results, 
cannot  fail  to  have  an  influence  which  is  nation  wide. 
It  has  done  much  to  promote  sane  social  and  recrea- 
tional enjoyment,  and  at  the  same  time,  through  cul- 
tivating a  dramatic  appreciation  which  counts  as  taw- 
dry and  vulgar  the  presentations  all  too  often  sponsored 
by  commercial  institutions,  has  combated  the  more 
glaring  evils  of  the  professional  theater. 

The  pedagogical  movement. — The  utilization  of 
the  play  spirit  in  education  and  the  recognition  of  the 
desire  for  dramatic  expression  as  a  normal  and  spon- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  27 

taneous  motive  has  resulted  in  the  introduction  of  dra- 
matization in  nearly  all  the  public  schools  and  church 
schools  as  a  pedagogical- method.  In  this  field  of  edu- 
cation much  credit  should  be  given  to  Emma  Sheridan 
Fry,  first  dramatic  director  of  the  Children's  Educa- 
tional Theater,  on  the  East  Side  in  New  York  city. 
Her  study  of  the  underlying  principles  of  educational 
dramatics  and  their  application  to  the  different  age 
groups  has  not  only  stimulated  the  production  of  drama 
for  educational  ends  but  has  also  kept  many  people 
otherwise  unfamiliar  with  the  methods  of  approach 
and  direction  from  serious  errors.  Her  book,  Educa- 
tional Dramatics,  will  be  helpful  to  those  desiring  a 
scientific  explanation  of  the  mental  processes  involved 
and  who  seek  a  knowledge  of  the  methods  through 
which  the  greatest  development  may  come  to  the  child. 
Principles  underlying  this  new  means  of  teaching  which 
she  and  other  pioneers  have  put  to  practical  tests  will 
be  discussed  in  later  chapters.  This  movement  for  the 
use  of  dramatization  as  a  factor  in  education  has  had 
such  a  stimulating  influence  upon  general  dramatic  ex- 
pression that  brief  mention  must  be  made  of  it  here. 
It  has  perhaps  shown  in  a  more  forceful  way  than  any 
of  the  other  movements,  the  possibilities  of  dramatics 
as  a  constructive  social  and  educational  agency. 

Children  who  have  been  dramatizing  in  the  class- 
room have  the  desire  to  express  themselves  in  the  same 
natural  way  in  the  community.  They  understand  the 
method  of  procedure  and  will  carry  out  with  ease  a  pro- 
gram which  would  be  entirely  beyond  the  uninitiated. 
They  have  learned  team  play  and  have  been  trained  in 
doing  creative  work.  Their  undertakings  have  re- 
sulted in  productions  of  intrinsic  merit  rather  than  in 


28         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

stagy  performances  of  little  educative  value.  The  re- 
hearsals, interpretation  of  characters,  designing  of  cos- 
tumes, staging,  and  even  the  writing  of  the  script, 
when  that  has  been  undertaken,  have  been  pleasurable 
means  of  expression,  thoroughly  enjoyed  by  all  and 
undertaken  in  the  free  and  joyous  spirit  of  play. 

Leaders  capable  of  directing  dramatic  expression 
along  sane  and  helpful  lines  have  been  developed  by 
participating  in  these  productions.  The  interest  kindled 
has  often  created  among  the  older  young  people  a 
desire  to  learn  the  fundamental  principles  underlying 
such  activities.  As  a  result  many  directors  with  a 
working  knowledge  of  stage  art  and  educational 
methods  are  now  available.  Such  persons,  though  not 
professionally  trained,  have  been  able  to  promote 
programs  of  dramatic  activities  which  meet  com- 
munity needs.  Cooperating  with  Social  Settlements, 
Community  Centers,  Public  Play  Grounds,  Social  and 
Religious  Educational  organizations,  they  have  stimu- 
lated an  interest  in  worth-while  undertakings,  devel- 
oped the  participants,  and  raised  community  standards. 

Books  for  Reference 

Alfred  W.  Pollard,  English  Mystery  Plays. 
Katharine  Lee  Bates,  The  English  Religious  Drama, 
Loomis  Havemeyer,  The  Drama  of  Savage  Peoples. 
Richard  G.  Moulton,  The  Literary  Study  of  the  Bible. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  29 

CHAPTER   II 

PLAY  IN  EDUCATION 

The  play  spirit  is  like  a  vivacious  child.  It  always 
asks  to  go  along.  It  wants  to  be  the  nurse-maid  to  the 
baby.  It  almost  runs  the  legs  off  the  growing  young- 
sters. It  is  the  jolly  good  companion  during  college 
days.  It  overlooks  the  fact  that  the  business  man  is 
dignified  and  it  uproariously  laughs  as  it  hunts  for  vul- 
nerable places  in  his  dignity.  It  even  forgets  to  respect 
gray  hairs  and  creaking  joints.  Worst  of  all,  it  has 
followed  the  school  master  with  the  persistence  of 
Mary's  lamb.  Although  spanked,  snubbed,  threatened, 
and  even  anathematized,  it  does  not  change  its  spirit 
of  undaunted  hopefulness.  Its  sang-froid  through 
such  abuse  is  mirth  provoking.  Whether  approved  or 
not,  its  boldness  and  insistence  everywhere  forces  rec- 
ognition. It  always  has.  Even  Puritanism  could  not 
push  it  aside.  Denied  a  chance  of  normal  physical  ex- 
pression, it  took  control  of  the  dramatic  imagination 
and  created  the  fanciful  witches  and  demons  of  horri- 
ble mien  which  assumed  reality  in  the  Salem  tragedy. 

Development  of  the  Play  Idea 

Thus  through  the  years  the  play  spirit  has  expe- 
rienced difficulty  in  gaining  recognition.  The  attitudes 
of  educational  leaders  have  been  varied.  Some  have 
looked  upon  it  with  disfavor;  some  have  complacently 
ignored  it;  others  have  sought  to  crush  it;  a  few  have 


30         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

welcomed  it  as  a  re-creator.  Certain  teachers,  notably 
of  the  clerical  school,  have  harnessed  it  to  carry  edu- 
cational burdens.  But  not  until  after  the  pronuncia- 
tion of  the  theory  of  naturalism  by  Rousseau  and  his 
followers  was  it  allowed  its  larger  place  in  the  educa- 
tional field.  Perhaps  one  exception  must  be  cited.  The 
Greeks  recognized  the  practical  value  of  play  even 
though  they  may  not  have  been  familiar  with  the  prin- 
ciples involved  and  enunciated  by  leaders  of  the  pres- 
ent day.  A  more  detailed  study  of  these  several  schools 
of  thought,  including  the  Greek,  may  prove  suggestive. 

The  Greeks  and  play;  recognition. — The  Greeks 
recognized  the  value  of  the  play  spirit  as  a  factor  in 
training  for  citizenship.  Its  demands  were  respected 
in  both  the  home  and  school,  and  from  early  infancy 
its  activities  were  emphasized.  Children  in  the  nurs- 
ery were  taught  by  means  of  simple  games,  largely  of 
a  dramatic  nature.  Plato,  in  his  attitude  toward  play 
as  expressed  in  his  Dialogues,  is  almost  modern.  He 
advised  that  all  children  between  the  ages  of  three  and 
six  be  taken  to  central  meeting  places  by  their  nurses 
that  they  might  engage  in  the  free  and  spontaneous 
activities  natural  to  their  ages.  To  him  the  games  of 
the  child,  to  a  great  extent,  determined  future  develop- 
ment, and  so  influenced  the  permanence  of  the  state. 
Aristotle  related  play  and  education.  He  suggested 
that  the  play  of  children  should  be  practice  of  what 
they  are  afterward  to  do  seriously. 

While  the  Athenian  primary  and  secondary  educa- 
tion trained  in  letters,  music,  drawing,  and  painting, 
play  was  considered  chiefly  important.  More  than  half 
the  day  was  devoted  to  games  and  physical  training  in 
the  palaistrai  and  the  gymnasia.     In  Sparta  play  re- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  31 

ceived  an  even  greater  emphasis.  Activities  intended 
primarily  for  bodily  development  were  encouraged,  for 
a  close  connection  was  recognized  between  mental  and 
physical  growth.  A  strong  mind  was  considered  a 
complement  of  a  strong  body.  Likewise,  the  good  and 
the  beautiful  were  deemed  identical.  Physical  perfec- 
tion as  an  ideal  thus  carried  with  it  more  than  the 
thought  of  strength  and  muscularity.  It  meant,  in 
reality,  the  fully  deve!  )ped  personality  fit  for  citizen- 
ship. 

The  early  church  and  play;  renunciation. — Play 
in  the  early  Christian  Church  was  considered  inimical 
to  the  spiritual  life.  This  attitude  of  hostility  was  but 
a  natural  reaction,  for  play  assumed  an  important  role 
in  the  Greek  religion,  and  the  Greek  religious  expres- 
sion at  this  period  had  degenerated  for  the  most  part 
into  sensuous  festivals  of  questionable  character.  The 
commercialization  of  the  play  spirit  by  the  Romans 
with  the  demoralizing  effects  resulting,  gave  added 
justification  for  alarm. 

The  early  church  Fathers  were  general  and  acri- 
monious in  their  condemnations.  Their  warnings  were 
directed  particularly  against  the  pleasures  of  music, 
dancing,  and  play.  Distinctions  made  between  the 
sacred  and  the  secular  and  the  general  feeling  that  a 
person  gained  in  godliness  only  as  he  excluded  all 
things  secular,  gave  added  cause  for  the  condemnation 
of  these  forms  of  amusement.  Compromises  were 
thought  to  be  impossible.  Amusements  were  thought 
to  absorb  so  completely  the  attention  of  those  partici- 
pating that  their  spirit  of  serious  contemplation  would 
inevitably  be  lost.  Such  being  the  case,  they  were  con- 
demned as  unqualified  hindrances  to  spiritual  growth. 


32         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

The  attitude  of  the  Puritans  and  of  certain  other 
church  people  even  down  to  the  present  time  has  been 
largely  a  reflection  of  the  same  conviction.  Play  has 
been  regarded  as  a  worldly  pleasure,  which  by  its  na- 
ture promoted  vanity  and  folly  and  turned  the  mind 
away  from  God  and  eternal  things. 

The  disciplinarians;  rejection. — Since  the  time  of 
the  Greeks,  many  educators  have  recognized  the  value 
of  play.  In  several  countries,  notably  the  Scandinavian 
and  German,  nation-wide  efforts  have  been  made  to 
promote  the  physical  welfare  of  the  people  through 
gymnastic  games.  This  training,  however,  has  been 
primarily  given  for  physical  rather  than  educational 
reasons.  Not  until  lately  has  concerted  action  utilized 
play  as  a  means  of  training  for  life.  The  child  com- 
monly has  been  thought  to  play  because  it  was  his  way 
of  using  up  surplus  energy  stored  during  periods  of 
inactivity. 

To  the  type  of  teacher  which  Dickens  so  vividly  por- 
trays in  Dombey  and  Son  and  Nicholas  Nickleby  the 
play  impulse  seeking  expression  was  but  a  vexatious 
spirit  and  must  of  necessity  be  held  in  check  by  stern 
disciplinary  measures.  A  similar  view  was  held  by 
many  of  our  own  educators  a  few  generations  ago.  To 
them  the  manifestation  of  the  play  spirit  in  the  class- 
room was  a  source  of  annoyance  in  that  it  directed 
interest  to  other  than  prescribed  ends  and  hence  must 
be  suppressed.  The  teacher,  therefore,  who  could  most 
successfully  snub  the  active  impulses  and  keep  the 
scholar's  interest  on  the  subject  in  hand  was  considered 
the  most  efficient.  Almost  as  much  effort  was  ex- 
pended in  forcing  the  child's  attention  to  the  lesson  as 
to  the  presentation  of  the  lesson  material.    The  teacher 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  33 

was  primarily  a  disciplinarian  whose  chief  function  was 
that  of  preserving  order  and  crushing  the  tendency  to 
play  or  to  be  mischievous.  Said  one  parochial  school 
master:  "Our  school  has  this  distinct  advantage — we 
have  the  Book  and  the  rod." 

Recreational  enthusiasts ;  play  as  medicine. — Many 
educational  leaders  have  acknowledged  the  value  of 
play  as  a  re-creator.  It  is  quite  evident  to  the  observant 
teacher  that  a  recess  period  washes  the  thick  and 
muddy  minds  of  children  and  prepares  for  clear  think- 
ing. The  mother  doing  the  unfinished  task  of  the 
child  says :  "He  lets  play  run  away  with  him ;  and  yet 
it  is  for  his  good.  Play  will  give  him  muscle,  teach  him 
to  hold  his  own,  and  develop  his  social  nature."  Even 
the  big  business  man  recognizes  the  principle  and  pro- 
vides a  recreational  life  for  his  employees.  Play,  how- 
ever, by  many  of  its  most  enthusiastic  exponents  is 
not  welcomed  in  the  field  of  business  or  educational 
activity.  The  idea  inveterately  persists  that  "play  is 
play  and  work  is  work,"  and  that  they  should  be  en- 
tirely divorced.  Play  is  regarded  as  a  side  issue  and 
introduced  only  in  leisure  time  and  under  proper  ''reg- 
ulation as  a  medicine"  or  tonic. 

The  "camoufiagers" ;  work  disguised  as  play. — 
The  zest  and  enthusiasm  with  which  children  play  has 
caused  certain  educators  to  feel  that  if  study  could  be 
made  to  seem  play  the  learning  process  would  be  fa- 
cilitated. As  a  result  a  sort  of  a  "Tom-Sawyer-white- 
washing-the- fence  method"  has  been  applied  to  the 
schoolroom.  Games  with  a  study  feature  tagged  to 
them  have  been  encouraged.  Memorizing  has  been 
accomplished  through  songs  and  doggerel.  Latin  has 
been  taught  by  playful  dialogue.     And  by  such  exer- 


34         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

cises  as  spelling  down  and  competitive  activities  the 
child's  attitude  toward  study  has  been  changed. 

Camouflaging  study  in  this  manner  so  that  it  seems 
to  be  play  is  not  without  educational  value.  The  school- 
room is  thus  made  less  a  place  of  irksome  work.  A 
motive  is  furnished  for  studious  effort.  While  in  some 
respects  like  the  method  now  receiving  much  attention, 
that  of  **Iearning  by  doing,"  the  two  should  not  be 
confused.  Sugar-coating  work  to  suit  the  taste  of  the 
growing  child  is  an  altogether  different  thing  from 
directing  free  and  spontaneous  play  for  purposive  ends. 

The  followers  of  Rousseau;  complete  recognition. 
— While  the  sentiment,  ''All  work  and  no  play  makes 
Jack  a  dull  boy,"  seems  to  be  quite  commonly  accepted 
as  a  working  principle,  and  while  most  people  of  the 
present  day  encourage  children's  play  by  furnishing 
them  with  toys  and  equipment,  the  majority  still  fail 
to  realize  the  true  educational  significance  of  this  all- 
animating  activity  of  childhood.  Too  often  it  is 
treated  as  a  happy,  companionable,  but  useless  and 
vagrant  spirit  which  impels  the  individual  to  dash  pur- 
poselessly about.  Hence  it  has  been  given  little  consid- 
eration other  than  as  a  means  of  providing  entertain- 
ment and  recreation  for  those  in  whom  one  is  inter- 
ested. Therefore  the  recent  friendly  interest  accorded 
it  by  education  has  come  as  quite  a  shock  to  those  who 
find  learning  and  pleasure  incompatible.  To  such  it 
appears  unbelievable  that  the  serious  matter  of  teach- 
ing should  be  turned  over  to  this  boisterous  spirit  of 
eternal  youth.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  however,  and 
destructive  as  it  may  appear,  to  some,  this  is  the  mod- 
ern tendency  in  education. 

This  change  in  educational  theory  is  due  largely  to 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  35 

Rousseau's  advocacy  of  naturalism  in  education.  We 
cannot  be  certain  that  he  knew  where  his  thinking  was 
leading  him,  or  that  he  realized  the  full  significance  of 
his  revolutionary  ideas.  All  acknowledge  his  erratic 
tendencies,  and  some  feel  that  blindly  and  in  a  spirit  of 
protest  he  left  the  beaten  path.  But,  whatever  may 
have  been  his  purpose  and  however  eccentric  his 
method,  credit  is  his  for  starting  the  course  through 
the  wilderness  which  was  later  blazed  by  Froebel  for 
the  kindergarten  and  by  Pestalozzi  for  the  elementary 
grades. 

As  we  investigate  this  new  way  of  learning,  made 
passable  by  modern  educators,  we  find  that  it  is  not  a 
bypath  winding  here  and  there  with  no  real  goal ;  but 
that,  even  though  it  does  leave  the  dusty  highway,  it 
is  a  beautiful  and  enchanting  short  cut  in  education,  so 
judged  by  modern  pedagogical  standards. 

Play  the  Natural  Way  in  Education 

While  environment  may  modify,  it  cannot  change 
the  fundamental  plan  of  growth.  Every  living  crea- 
ture has  within  it  certain  laws  which,  in  a  certain  meas- 
ure, are  determinants.  For  instance,  young  squirrels 
or  rabbits  mothered  by  cats  retain  their  own  charac- 
teristics and  seek  their  own  instinctive  activities  regard- 
less of  environment.  Chickens  will  be  chickens, 
whether  hatched  under  a  hen,  a  duck,  or  in  an  incu- 
bator. The  same  laws  in  regard  to  impulses  and 
capabilities  apply  to  man  as  to  animals.  We  are  what 
our  natures  allow  us  to  be,  and  we  cannot  become  any- 
thing else.  Any  educational  system  to  be  efficient  must 
consider  the  innate  desires  and  impulses  and  regulate 
its  methods  thereto.    A  superimposed  scheme  of  train- 


36         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

ing,  even  though  it  may  bring  about  growth,  fails  in 
so  far  as  it  does  not  harmonize  with  nature's  plan  for 
development.  The  play  way  in  education  does  so  con- 
form.    It  is  a  natural  method. 

Nature's  schoolroom. — The  world  is  a  great  school- 
room, and  under  the  direction  of  nature  every  living 
creature  undergoes  a  rigorous  enough  course  of  train- 
ing to  fit  it  for  life's  activities.  There  is  a  prescribed 
group  of  studies  for  each  animal,  adjusted  to  meet  the 
needs  of  the  species;  and  all  study  with  a  diligence 
which  is  astounding.  This  fact  becomes  obvious  when 
we  watch  play  life. 

Have  you  not  observed  the  kitten  wholly  absorbed 
in  what  may  seem  at  first  glance  to  be  the  foolish  effort 
of  toying  with  a  small  movable  object — clutching  it 
with  his  paws,  tossing  it  one  way  and  another  and 
then  when  it  rolls  away  from  him,  pouncing  upon  it 
only  to  repeat  the  operation?  Hours  may  be  spent  in 
such  play.  This  is  not  wasted  exertion.  There  is  a 
purpose  back  of  it  all.  Such  activity  is  training  for 
future  life.  True,  it  is  pleasurable;  but  that  is  the 
way  nature  teaches.  She  does  not  make  her  courses  of 
study  drudgery.  Hers  is  a  play  school,  and  she,  not 
modern  pedagogues,  must  be  given  the  credit  for  estab- 
lishing that  institution. 

Nature's  curriculum. — In  this  school  of  natural  ed- 
ucation the  length  of  the  training  period  and  the  cur- 
riculum are  adjusted  to  meet  the  needs  of  the  pupil. 
The  lower  forms  of  life,  such  as  insects,  require  little 
rehearsing  for  the  parts  they  will  play  in  their  allotted 
time ;  and  so  they  are  sent  out  to  battle  their  way  under 
tutelage  of  the  inherent  impulses  which  teach  them  to 
react  properly  to  their  environment.    With  the  higher 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  37 

animals  and  man,  however,  whose  needs  are  more  com- 
plex and  the  possibilities  of  other  than  mere  reflex  ac- 
tion are  multiplied,  the  course  of  training  is  much 
longer. 

The  dog's  education  receives  more  attention  than 
does  that  of  animals  lower  in  the  scale;  and  so  in  his 
puppyhood  he  learns  to  run,  to  dodge,  to  pursue,  and 
to  match  tooth  for  tooth.  First  he  plays  with  his 
mother  and  other  dogs,  which  ruffle  him  up  in  mimic 
combat,  then  with  the  animals  he  chances  to  meet  in  his 
rounds  of  investigation — the  chickens,  which,  loudly 
cackling,  fly  away  at  his  approach;  the  cat,  which 
doesn't  seem  to  appreciate  the  unbounded  enthusiasm 
with  which  he  starts  out  in  the  pursuit  of  knowledge; 
and  the  little  pigs  of  the  barnyard,  which  likewise  are 
hardly  in  sympathy  with  such  manifestations  of  the 
educational  desire,  as  evinced  by  their  frightened  efforts 
to  escape  as  he  playfully  barks  at  their  heels.  The 
house  dog,  poor  creature,  enjoys  no  such  advantage. 
Often  he  must  satisfy  his  thirst  for  learning  by  sub- 
stitution, making  shoes  and  other  articles  of  wearing 
apparel  simulate  living  enemies. 

God's  plan  for  man's  development  is  much  the  same 
as  for  His  other  creatures.  Perhaps  the  instinctive 
desires  are  modified  to  a  certain  extent  by  the  restric- 
tions of  civilization,  but  they  are  always  in  evidence. 
The  boy  kicks  out  his  shoes  in  acquiring  foot  dex- 
terity, throws  stones  at  the  cat  that  he  may  develop 
speed  and  accuracy  of  marksmanship,  and  exercises  his 
lungs  by  giving  vent  to  shrill  and  horrid  noises  that  he 
may  gain  voice  control.  And  so  we  might  go  on  with 
the  other  play  activities  showing  how  their  proper  exer- 
cise trains  for  life  and  its  responsibilities — the  pugna- 


38  PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

cious,  which  give  confidence  and  the  feehng  of  mas- 
tery ;  the  rhythmic,  which  lay  the  foundation  for  music 
and  poetry;  the  creative,  which  cultivate  imagination 
and  train  for  inventive  usefulness;  and  the  social, 
which  make  possible  group  action  and  cooperation. 

Dramatic  play  often  trains  for  special  occupations. 
The  farmer  boy  in  his  early  play  imitates  the  activities 
of  his  father  and  thus  is  introduced  to  farming 
methods ;  the  girl,  mothering  her  doll,  wheeling  it  about 
and  making  its  clothes,  receives  training  for  mother- 
hood ;  and  the  Indian  child  in  play,  modeling  and  bak- 
ing tiny  clay  vessels,  learns  the  craftsmanship  of  the 
race.  In  fact,  we  may  say  the  instincts  which  are  most 
readily  expressed  in  play  are  sufficient  to  train  men  for 
all  the  essential  relationships  of  life. 

The  Play  Way  an  Efficient  Method  of  Teaching 

The  true  teacher  is  ever  mindful  of  the  learner. 
The  learning  process  furnishes  the  standards  by  which 
the  teaching  process  is  judged.  Anything  that  reveals 
to  the  teacher  how  the  pupil  learns  ought  to  give  him 
greater  insight  into  the  nature  of  his  own  work. 

Promotes  self -activity. — The  crucial  test  of  any  ed- 
ucational theory  is  whether  it  promotes  or  hinders  the 
pupil's  self-activity,  for  self-activity  is  a  requisite  of 
growth.  Education  is  not  something  that  can  be  given 
to  the  child  like  medicine,  whether  he  will  or  not. 
Neither  is  it  a  process  whereby  the  child  willingly 
opens  wide  his  intellect  and  allows  the  teacher,  ever 
alert  for  such  an  opportunity,  to  file  bits  of  information 
in  proper  pigeon-holes  of  the  brain.  Development  oc- 
curs only  when  the  individual  becomes  active.     It  is 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  39 

something  acquired,  not  given.  To  attain  it  the  pupil 
must  exert  himself. 

The  play  way  in  education,  better  than  any  other, 
encourages  self-activity.  It  completely  absorbs  the 
attention  of  the  pupil  and  promotes  vv^hole-hearted  at- 
tention. The  "little  tot"  playing  house  thinks  of 
nothing  else.  She  forgets  time,  place,  fatigue,  and 
other  distractions.  With  her  it  is  a  serious  and  worth- 
while effort.  She  is  not  "fooling,"  not  consciously  ex- 
erting herself  for  pleasure  or  for  the  sense  of  exhilara- 
tion. She  is  motivated  by  impulses  similar  to  those 
which  control  the  successful  business  man — the  one 
who  finds  a  joy  in  his  vocation  and  gives  it  his  whole 
mind  and  attention.  True,  she  views  it  afterward  with 
pleasure;  so  does  the  business  man  his  work,  but  for 
the  time  being  it  is  a  serious  undertaking. 

Eliminates  waste  effort. — It  is  this  quality  of 
whole-heartedness  that  distinguishes  play  from  forced 
work  or  drudgery.  In  play  the  whole  self  is  enlisted, 
keen  and  eager  for  new  experiences.  Attention  is 
spontaneous  and  there  is  no  waste  exertion,  for  all  ef- 
fort is  centered  on  acquiring  new  impressions.  This 
is  not  always  true  of  work.  External  authority  or  will 
power  miay  prod  the  pupil  on  to  work,  but  the  mind  that 
divides  its  attention  between  such  authority  and  the 
task  in  hand  seldom  reaches  the  highest  level  of  crea- 
tivity. 

The  ease  and  rapidity  with  which  a  child  accom- 
plishes a  task  in  play,  a  task  which  if  made  work 
would  require  a  much  longer  time  and  a  more  con- 
scious effort,  illustrates  the  principle  involved.  Play- 
ing store  and  learning  to  count  money  is  a  simple  un- 
dertaking,   easily    accomplished    when    spontaneously 


40         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

done;  but  what  a  different  thing  it  is  when  one  must 
learn  it  out  of  a  book,  in  the  work  or  study  way !  The 
out-of-doors  whispers  to  the  mind  and  invites  it  to  en- 
joy the  pleasures  of  freedom;  and  it  takes  the  com- 
bined efforts  of  determination,  will,  and  fear  to  bring 
it  back.  Even  after  the  mind  has  been  forced  to  the 
task  again,  it  is  restless  and  often  makes  hurried  and 
ineffectual  attempts  to  escape. 

Is  it  any  wonder  that  some  people  in  whom  natural 
interest  has  never  been  kindled  have  found  the  day 
school  a  prison  house,  and  the  Sunday  school,  where 
they  have  been  strait- jacketed  to  hard,  high  benches 
and  forced  to  be  attentive,  a  place  of  torment?  One 
could  hardly  expect  anything  else.  Schools  need  not 
be  so  regarded,  however,  for  training  can  be  some- 
thing that  one  can  look  back  to  with  other  than  feel- 
ings of  abhorrence.  In  fact,  in  many  of  the  truant 
schools,  where  one  might  expect  indifference  on  the 
part  of  the  pupils,  if  not  open  disregard,  the  teachers 
who  have  been  given  a  free  hand  in  determining  the 
policies  have  made  the  studies  so  interesting  that  the 
children  *'go  half  an  hour  early"  that  they  may  be  on 
hand  to  help  with  extra  work.  Often  they  are  so 
enthusiastic  and  the  interest  in  the  subjectmatter  is  so 
intense  that  they  impose  studies  upon  themselves  after 
school  hours. 

Furnishes  necessary  discipline. — To  those  who  ob- 
ject to  the  play  theory  in  education,  saying  that  the 
loss  in  discipline  more  than  offsets  any  advantage 
gained,  it  is  well  to  point  out  that  the  satisfaction  of 
certain  major  instincts  forces  a  discipline  more  rigid 
than  that  dictated  outwardly.  As  one  example  we 
may  take  the  instinctive  desire  for  competition.    The 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  41 

boy,  to  make  his  football  team,  will  suffer  all  manner 
of  hardships  and  deprivations  under  command  of  his 
determination;  and  a  girl  to  win  a  scholarship  may 
work  herself  to  the  point  of  nervous  exhaustion,  ignor- 
ing outer  authority  to  obey  the  lash  of  an  inner  urge. 
When  one  stops  to  consider,  one  will  see  that  both  for 
the  individual  and  for  society  self-discipline  invoked 
through  the  spirit  of  play  has  every  advantage  over 
that  which  is  forced  by  external  authority. 

Books  for  Reference 

Joseph  Lee,  Play  in  Education. 

Karl  Groos,  The  Play  of  Man. 

George  Ellsworth  Johnson,  Education  by  Play  and 
Games. 

Luther  Halsey  Gulick,  A  Philosophy  of  Play. 

Walter  Wood,  Children's  Play. 

Norman  E.  Richardson,  editor:  The  Mother  as  Play- 
fellow, The  Dramatic  Instinct,  in  Children,  The 
Use  of  Dolls  in  Child-Training,  Dramatics  in  the 
Home,  Story-Telling  in  the  Home. 


42         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

CHAPTER  III 

THE  DRAMATIC  MOTIVE  IN  PLAY 

All  play  which  induces  illusion  may  be  classified  as 
dramatic.  Under  this  designation  we  must  place  not 
only  physical  play  activities  but  also  those  mental  and 
spiritual  activities  which  involve  inner  imitation  and 
dramatic  imagination.  In  other  words,  we  must  say 
that  the  inherent  impulses  evoking  dramatic  activity 
may  find  physical,  mental,  and  spiritual  expression. 

The  Dramatic  Motive 

Any  educational  system  which  recognizes  the  play 
spirit  as  a  factor  in  education  must  at  least  consider 
dramatics,  for  spontaneous  dramatic  activity  is  real 
play.  It  colors  all  life.  It  is  so  insistent  that  it  in- 
trudes whether  or  not  the  teacher  desires  it. 

Spontaneous  dramatic  activity  is  real  play.— Joseph 
Lee,  in  Play  in  Education,  states  that  all  play  is 
spontaneous,  completely  absorbs  the  attention  of  the 
individual,  and  brings  a  feeling  of  happiness  and  sat- 
isfaction. A  study  of  dramatic  play  reveals  the  fact 
that  it  differs  in  no  essential  respect  from  other  play 
activity. 

One  has  but  to  watch  the  "lets-pretend-play"  of 
childhood  to  realize  that  it  shares  all  the  qualities  com- 
mon to  other  play.  Go  into  any  vacant  lot  where  the 
"little  tots"  have  taken  squatters  privileges  and  that 
fact  is  evident.  Over  here  in  the  corner  by  a  high 
board  fence  are  two  small  girls  entertaining  the  doll 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  43 

family.  A  soap  box  has  become  the  dinner  table  and 
a  few  cookies  begged  from  grandma  are  sufficient  for 
a  hearty  repast;  for  though  the  dolls  continually  re- 
ceive much  attention,  are  urgently  offered  different 
foods,  and  even  assisted  to  partake,  they  are  not  hearty 
eaters. 

And  there  in  another  part  of  the  lot  is  a  little  young- 
ster in  soldier  suit  fighting  the  battles  of  the  World 
War.  Of  course  he  is  the  General,  and  these  zigzag 
lines  are  the  trenches  and  the  toy  pistol  is  the  artillery. 
It  is  a  ^'terrible  engagement"  in  which  many  are  taken 
to  the  hospitals  and  in  which  the  enemies  are  merci- 
lessly slain.  He  leads  his  forces  until  he  is  quite  ex- 
hausted and  his  voice  grows  husky.  Not  until  it  gets 
quite  late,  in  fact,  until  dinner  time — and  even  then  he 
hesitates  until  the  second  call — does  he  feel  that  he 
can  turn  over  the  command  to  the  relief  party  which 
has  come  up  to  take  over  his  particular  sector  of  the 
trenches. 

Then,  suddenly,  there  in  the  back  lot  the  circus 
comes  to  town.  It  is  quite  a  procession.  Boys  with 
cheeks  daubed  with  red  and  with  hideous  make-up  are 
the  clowns.  Two  of  them  perform  stunts  on  the  back 
of  the  docile  donkey.  In  the  first  wagon  is  Shep,  the 
collie  dog,  who  has  been  sheared  to  resemble  a  lion. 
And  there  is  old  Tige,  the  house  cat,  restlessly  pacing 
back  and  forth,  forced  to  simulate  the  Bengal  tiger. 
The  rabbits,  guinea  pigs,  and  white  rats  also  become 
the  "only  ones  of  their  kind  in  captivity"  and  peer  out 
between  bars  of  improvised  cages.  As  the  procession 
leaves  the  yard,  one  sees  the  glaring  poster  "Admis- 
sion, 25  Pins,"  and  one  so  inclined  might  witness  a 
performance  which,  from  the  promoters'  point  of  view, 


44  PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

would  win  approval  of  the  Ringling  Brothers  them- 
selves. 

Even  staid  adults  are  influenced  by  the  dramatic 
urge.  Of  course  they  do  not  take  pleasure  in  express- 
ing themselves  dramatically  in  vacant  lots.  Indeed, 
any  "acting-out"  may  seem  undignified  and  unbecom- 
ing. Nature,  however,  makes  provision — a  place  in  the 
mind  where  these  miniature  dramas  may  be  staged. 
The  literary  man  moves  characters  of  his  own  creating 
across  an  imagined  stage,  characters  whose  actions  he 
controls.  And  when  they  perform  to  suit  his  fancy, 
he  writes  down  the  action  and  dialogue  and  we  have 
the  drama,  the  novel,  and  the  short  story. 

The  financier  becomes  a  stage  manager,  and  in  that 
inner  theater  listens  to  improvised  speeches  and  studies 
the  actions  of  puppets  who  characterize  individuals  in 
daily  life.  The  next  day  he  enacts  the  scenes  in  the 
business  world  as  he  has  perfected  them  through  his 
dramatic  imagination.  A  successful  preacher,  also, 
uses  such  a  method  in  the  preparation  of  his  discourses. 
He  studies  the  way  the  old  gentleman  in  the  front 
pew  takes  a  certain  line,  the  influence  of  another  upon 
a  young  couple  who  have  recently  buried  their  only 
child,  and  after  repeating  one  that  he  hopes  will  stir 
the  higher  emotions  of  his  young  people  decides  to 
recast  it,  since  it  fails  in  its  purpose.  So  it  is  with  all 
men  who  accomplish  things  in  the  world — prophets, 
creators,  artists,  and  promoters.  Indeed,  for  us  all  the 
fairies,  heroes,  ideal  characters,  funny  clowns,  and  the 
lesser  people  of  daily  life  are  always  in  the  dressing 
room  of  the  imagination  ready  to  be  summoned  on  the 
stage  by  the  dramatic  instinct,  there  to  act  out  for  our 
experiment,   edification,   and   amusement.      Thus   the 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  45 

world  is  ever  a  wonder  world,  a  place  of  delight  and 
never  ceasing  interest. 

Dramatic  play  colors  all  life. — The  baby  ''finds 
himself"  largely  through  imitative  play,  and  such  a 
time  as  he  does  have  when  once  he  learns  what  his  legs, 
and  arms,  and  voice  are  for!  When  he  grows  older 
he  pretends  to  be  a  horse  in  the  meadow,  he  barks  like 
a  dog,  and  does  all  manner  of  eccentric  little  tricks  to 
mimic  his  elders — dusts  the  furniture,  washes  clothes, 
and  walks  like  father.  At  a  later  period  the  child 
mothers  dolls,  keeps  school,  breaks  prancing  stick 
horses  to  ride,  and  stalks  savage  Indians  to  ruthlessly 
put  them  out  of  the  way.  Such  activities  are  a  part  of 
child-life — quite  as  much  so  as  is  making  ideal  touch- 
downs in  the  study  room  which  win  college  victories, 
or  silently  and  reverently  entering  the  dream  world 
hand  in  hand  with  a  loved  one  while  listening  to  the 
simple  heart  songs  at  a  concert. 

Then  there  is  the  world,  God's  great  playhouse, 
where  the  spirit  nature  reaches  up  to  heaven  and  brings 
down  to  earth  the  choicest  treasures  for  stage-settings 
and  properties — appropriate  backgrounds  for  the 
drama  of  love.  And  old  age  may  be  the  happiest  play 
time  of  all — *'the  best,"  as  Browning  puts  it.  Have 
you  not  seen  the  gray-haired  man  chuckling  as  he 
moves  phantom  characters  across  the  stage  of  memory; 
and  have  you  not  noted  with  what  joyful  expectation 
all  those  who  have  played  their  parts  well  look  into  the 
future?  To  them  it  is  like  going  home  after  a  long 
vacation,  or  a  swinging  of  school  books  and  a  hurried 
running  ahead  of  others  that  they  may  enjoy  to  the 
full  the  new  day  of  pleasure. 

Dramatic  play  has  always  assumed  an  important 


46         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

function  in  life.  As  the  story-teller  of  the  tribe  it  has 
expressed  through  narrative  and  song  the  religious  be- 
liefs of  the  race  and  the  old  folk  legends  and  traditions. 
It  has  celebrated  victories  and  has  been  a  suppliant  to 
the  gods.  It  has  eulogized  mythical  heroes  and  w^ar- 
rior  kings.  In  fact,  it  has  been  the  medium  through 
v^hich  the  heritage  of  the  ancestors  has  most  fre- 
quently been  made  known. 

It  has  also  been  an  inspirational  companion  to  all  the 
arts.  It  gave  music  a  part  in  performance  when  that 
art  was  in  its  infancy,  able  only  to  croon  weird  and 
monotonous  melodies.  It  pushed  language  on  the 
stage  and  by  frequent  promptings  taught  it  to  express 
itself.  It  experimented  with  painting  and  sculpturing 
and  with  them  learned  harmony  of  color,  artistic  shad- 
ing, beauty  of  line,  and  clarity  of  design. 

The  desire  for  dramatic  expression  is  instinctive. 
— ^All  of  the  seven  principal  play  instincts  as  enumer- 
ated by  Joseph  Lee  in  Play  in  Education  naturally 
manifest  themselves  in  dramatic  activity.  The  crea- 
tive, rhythmic,  nurturing,  and  curiosity  instincts  are 
especially  dominant  among  girls,  and  those  of  fight- 
ing, hunting,  and  team  play  among  boys.  At  times 
several  of  these  major  instincts  clamoring  for  recogni- 
tion at  the  same  time  intensify  the  demand  for  dra- 
matic expression  until  it  is  almost  irresistible.  Work- 
ing together  and  singly,  as  they  do,  they  gain  such  con- 
trol over  man  that  they,  to  a  large  extent,  determine  his 
experiences — mental,  physical,  and  spiritual.  They 
cannot  be  lightly  regarded  in  any  educational  scheme. 
It  is  through  their  exercise  that  man  grows. 

Among  many  primitive  peoples  the  dramatic  urge 
becomes  so  intense  that  all  else  is  forgotten.     When 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  47 

the  wandering  players  in  Burma  come  to  a  village  to 
perform,  the  natives  make  an  "all-night  affair"  of  it. 
Even  resident  Christians,  who  acknowledge  the  evil 
nature  of  these  degenerate  festivals,  are  attracted  with 
the  other  villagers  and  remain  attentive  until  the 
players  leave.  Missionaries  find  that  to  counteract  the 
evil  influence  drama  of  a  different  sort  must  be  offered. 
Bible  plays  and  pageants  are  presented,  and  wholesome 
story-playing  is  encouraged. 

Dramatic  festivals  take  a  strong  hold  on  the  Latin 
people  also.  Such  occasions  are  gala  days,  ones  in 
which  all  interest  centers  in  the  festivals.  Days  of 
preparation  will  be  made  for  them.  The  peasants  plan 
picturesque  and  striking  costumes,  that  they  may  be 
in  keeping  with  the  spirit  of  the  occasion.  One  has 
but  to  visit  the  Orient  to  be  impressed  by  the  important 
place  drama  assumes  in  daily  life.  Stories,  events, 
beliefs,  all  become  subjects  for  expression;  and  much 
ingenuity  is  manifested  in  designing  costumes  and  in 
representing  ideas.  In  some  of  the  festivals  of  a  more 
elaborate  nature  hundreds  of  people  participate  and 
months  of  preparation  are  given  to  necessary  prelim- 
inaries. 

The  findings  of  the  Cleveland  Educational  Survey  re- 
veal the  insistence  of  the  dramatic  appeal  to  the  school 
children  of  that  city.  ''Of  the  more  formal  use  of 
dramatic  play  it  is  of  interest  to  note  that  thirty  per- 
cent of  the  boys  of  the  elementary  school  have  taken 
part  in  shows  or  plays,  and  forty-six  percent  of  the 
girls.  Among  high-school  pupils  the  percentages  are 
forty-six  percent  of  the  boys  and  fifty-eight  percent  of 
girls. 

*'But  by  far  the  most  striking  evidence  of  the  dra- 


48         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

matic  interest  is  seen  in  the  attendance  record  of 
the  pupils  at  the  moving  pictures.  Seventy-eight  per- 
cent of  the  boys  of  the  elementary  school  are  accus- 
tomed to  attend  the  movies,  and  eighty- four  percent 
of  the  girls.  These  children  attend  on  the  average 
three  times  in  every  two  v^eeks.  This  is  more  frequent 
than  the  attendance  that  has  been  estimated  for  the 
general  population  of  New  York  city — once  a  week; 
or  for  Cleveland — once  in  every  six  days.  Twenty- 
four  percent  of  the  boys  attend  the  vaudeville  as  well, 
and  thirty  percent  of  the  girls.  The  average  number 
of  times  the  boys  and  girls  attend  the  vaudeville  is  a 
little  less  than  once  a  week.  Besides,  eighteen  percent 
of  the  boys  attend  the  regular  theater  over  twice  a 
month,  and  twenty-one  percent  of  the  girls  over  once 
a  month. 

"Eighty-nine  percent  of  the  high-school  boys  are  ac- 
customed to  attend  moving  pictures,  and  ninety-one 
percent  of  high-school  girls.  The  boys  go,  on  the 
average,  three  times  in  two  weeks,  and  the  girls  a  lit- 
tle oftener  than  once  a  week.  Sixty-seven  percent  of 
the  boys  attend  the  vaudeville,  and  fifty-nine  percent 
of  the  girls.  The  average  attendance  of  boys  and 
girls  is  once  in  two  weeks.  Forty-eight  percent  of  the 
boys  attend  the  regular  theater,  and  sixty-three  per- 
cent of  the  girls.  These  boys  attend  nearly  twice  a 
month,  and  the  girls  over  once  a  month." 

The  Federal  Council  of  Churches  in  its  pamphlet. 
Motion  Pictures  in  Religious  and  Educational  Work, 
records  the  large  number  of  people  in  America  daily 
attending  the  motion  picture  houses  which  offer  only 
one  of  the  many  ways  to  satisfy  dramatic  interest. 
'Tully  8,500,000  persons  visit  motion  picture  houses 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  49 

every  night.  Two  billion  five  hundred  million  admis- 
sions were  issued  last  year.  The  weekly  capacity  of 
motion  picture  theaters  in  Portland,  Oregon,  now  ex- 
ceeds the  total  population  of  that  city.  In  Boston 
vaudeville  and  motion  picture  houses  offer  eighty-five 
percent  of  the  seating  capacity  of  its  theaters.  In 
New  York  alone  between  one  sixth  and  one  seventh  of 
the  population  visit  these  places  of  entertainment  daily. 
In  Cleveland  one  sixth  of  the  city  go  at  least  once  a 
day.  And  this  is  true  not  only  of  our  large  cities,  but 
of  our  small  cities  as  well." 

Satisfying  the  Dramatic  Motive 

The  dramatic  impulse  is  ever  alive  in  the  individual — 
ever  prompting  and  urging  expression  through  mental, 
spiritual,  and  physical  activities.  It  cannot  be  denied. 
It  is  one  of  the  strongest  hungers.  Thwarted  in  its 
attempts  at  finding  satisfaction  in  wholesome  ways,  it 
seeks  other  means  regardless  of  results. 

Satisfaction  by  inner  imitation  and  dramatic 
imagination. — Quite  often  this  demand  for  dramatic 
expression  is  satisfied  by  what  Groos  in  his  Play  of  Man 
would  call  inner  imitation  and  dramatic  imagination. 
This  holds  true  more  often  with  the  adult  than  with 
the  child.  Development  has  made  it  possible  for  him 
to  picture  by  mental  processes  those  actions  w^hich  the 
child  must  express  physically.  Thus  it  is  that  he  can 
satisfy  his  inherent  desires  through  imaginative  read- 
ing, through  reminiscences,  through  creative  think- 
ing, and  through  dramatic  activity  visualized  for  him 
by  motion  picture  or  acted  out  for  his  benefit  on  the 
stage. 

Satisfaction  through  spiritual  expression. — In  the 


50         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

spiritual  realm  dramatic  expression  also  has  an  im- 
portant function.  It  enables  man  to  gain  new  religious 
experiences  and  to  make  those  of  the  past  a  more  vivid 
and  secure  part  of  his  life.  People  who  have  met  with 
outstanding  manifestations  of  God's  presence  are  able 
to  think  of  them  only  in  the  form  of  dramatized  rela- 
tionships, as  evidenced  by  scriptural  and  other  ac- 
counts of  such  happenings.  Spiritual  meditations  of 
whatever  sort  are  likewise  usually  dramatic. 

Professor  Allen  Hoben,  of  Carleton  College,  has 
classified  all  spiritual  activities  as  play  inasmuch  as  they 
have  all  the  characteristics  of  play — are  spontaneous, 
completely  absorb  the  attention  of  the  individual,  and 
bring  a  feeling  of  happiness  and  satisfaction.  Carry- 
ing out  this  idea,  we  could  say  that  as  other  play  activi- 
ties are  purposive — train  for  life — so  these  also  train 
the  spiritual  nature  and  cause  a  growth  in  grace  and 
power.  Through  them  God  trains  for  earthly  living. 
And  who  knows  but  that  the  pictured  longings  of  those 
who  wait  here  yet  a  little  while  before  they  go  yonder 
to  meet  with  those  who  have  gone  to  the  great  beyond, 
are  not  types  of  spiritual  play  which  will  prepare  for 
the  future  life  even  as  the  physical  and  mental  play  has 
prepared  for  this  corporeal  existence  ? 

Satisfaction  through  physical  activity. — The  reac- 
tion of  the  little  child  to  the  dramatic  impulse  appears 
to  be  largely  physical.  The  adult  can  picture  an  im- 
agined world — people  it  with  characters  who  perform 
conventional  or  unusual  roles,  and  do  it  while  sitting 
quietly  by  his  study  table.  But  how  different  it  is  with 
the  child!  To  live  over  past  events,  or  to  gain  new 
experiences  he  must  express  himself  physically — "act 
out"  what  he  has  seen  or  imagined. 


.^c 

;'%^ 


^ 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  51 

When  Mother  Smith  returns  from  church  she  men- 
tally reproduces  those  incidents  and  scenes  of  the  serv- 
ice which  have  most  impressed  her.  The  settings, 
background,  and  mood  created  by  the  hour  of  fellow- 
ship and  worship  are  still  with  her.  She  reviews  all 
the  details.  Happy,  good-natured  Mr.  Thompson 
enters  and  expresses  his  good  will  by  putting  all  of  his 
three  hundred  pounds  behind  a  smile  and  a  hearty  good 
morning.  Mrs.  Zimmerman  ushers  in  the  six  red- 
headed little  Zimmermans  who  have  been  polished  un- 
til they  are  as  pink  and  shiny  as  thorough-bred  Durocs 
ready  for  a  live-stock  show.  People  of  all  types  and 
descriptions  flit  in  and  frequently  usurp  the  rights  of 
the  leading  personnel. 

An  altogether  different  "show"  is  staged  by  Bobby 
Smith  and  William  Jr.  They  put  on  a  real  production 
in  which  they  become  the  actors.  After  a  heated  dis- 
cussion Bobby  takes  the  star  roles  of  minister,  soloist, 
and  usher.  William  Jr.  becomes  the  congregation  and 
is  ushered  in  with  proper  and  fitting  decorum.  The 
peculiarities  of  the  minister  are  imitated  by  his  under- 
study; parts  of  hymns  are  sung;  announcements  made, 
collections  taken;  and  all  the  other  regular  business 
attended  to.  Peculiar  and  amusing?  Yes,  it  may  be; 
but  it  is  the  child's  way  of  interpreting  the  world  about 
him.  He  is  an  actor,  not  an  observer,  and  best  satis- 
fies the  promptings  of  his  creative  imagination  by 
dramatic  physical  expression. 

Proper  Regulation  Is  Essential 

Dramatic  play  should  be  given  serious  considera- 
tion, not  only  in  the  schoolroom  but  also  in  the  church 
school,  the  church,  and  the  community.     It  reaches 


52         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

more  than  the  physical  being.  It  stimulates  all  life 
forces  and  forms  habits  of  thought  and  action  which 
determine  future  character  and  conduct.  Play  expe- 
riences leave  indelible  impressions.  This  fact  is  very 
evident  to  those  who  have  tried  to  change  the  attitude 
of  children  whose  play  life  has  been  unregulated,  and 
whose  environment  has  been  such  that  the  vices  have 
been  idealized. 

Results  of  imregulated  play. — Undirected  play 
may  result  in  what  has  fittingly  been  called  the  drama 
of  arrest,  that  manifestation  of  the  dramatic  instinct 
which  so  frequently  brings  boys  into  the  police  courts 
of  our  large  cities,  boys  who  have  been  prompted  to 
assume  roles,  the  playing  of  which,  while  satisfying 
an  inner  urge,  has  resulted  in  arrest  and  incarcera- 
tion. 

Often  through  suggestion  individuals  lose  them- 
selves in  dramatic  imagination.  There  is  an  inherent 
desire  on  the  part  of  every  individual  "to  get  expe- 
rience by  proxy,  or  enjoyment  of  borrowed  fame,"  as 
G.  Stanley  Hall  would  state  it.  In  response  to  this 
desire  to  experience  what  others  have  felt,  or  to  re- 
enact  what  others  have  done,  the  most  horrid  crimes 
'known  to  man  are  perpetrated.  A  sensational  news- 
paper account  of  a  horrible  murder  or  suicide,  which 
to  a  certain  individual  may  glorify  the  deed,  quite 
often  is  sufficient  to  suppress  those  forces  which  in  the 
past  have  inhibited  him  from  such  unsocial  action. 
Police  records  show  that  crimes  featured  in  news- 
papers are  usually  reenacted  soon  afterward  in  many 
localities.  Motion  pictures  likewise  which  make  their 
appeal  to  the  "elemental  emotions  of  blood  and  sex" 
are  baneful  in  their  effects.     An  objectionable  film 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  53 

shown  through  a  city  may  precipitate  ten  or  a  dozen 
people  into  violence  which  brings  them  into  the  court- 
room. 
Possibilities  of  regulated  dramatic  expression. — 

When  we  begin  to  study  the  self  we  realize  the  im- 
portant place  the  dramatic  impulse  assumes  in  deter- 
mining future  relationships  and  conduct.  It  is  the  im- 
pelling force  stimulating  and  supporting  numberless 
activities,  physical  and  spiritual,  whether  or  not  we 
are  conscious  of  the  fact.  In  many  respects,  we  are 
puppets  on  the  stage  of  life,  pulled  by  the  strings  of 
environment,  limited  only  by  natural  make-up.  Being 
such,  the  true  educator  is  he  who  takes  from  the  hands 
of  chance  the  strings,  and  directs  action  so  that  there 
will  be  personal  development  and  no  tragedies.  This 
can  be  most  successfully  accomplished  through  ap- 
plied Educational  Dramatics. 

Books  for  Reference 

Emma  Sheridan  Fry,  Educational  Dramatics. 
Eleanor  Whitman  Curtis,   The  Dramatic  Instinct  in 

Education. 
J.  G.  Eraser,  The  Golden  Bough. 
Loomis  Havemeyer,  The  Drama  of  Savage  Peoples, 
George  E.  Johnson,  Education  through  Recreation. 


54         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

CHAPTER  IV 

What  Is  Meant  by  Educational  Dramatics? 

An  opportunity  to  define  Educational  Dramatics  is 
welcomed,  because  there  are  so  many  current  misun- 
derstandings in  regard  to  its  scope  and  meaning. 
While  more  or  less  mental  confusion  was  to  be  ex- 
pected at  first,  it  is  no  longer  necessary.  A  careful 
and  scientific  study  has  been  made  of  the  underlying 
principles  which  characterize  and  differentiate  Edu- 
cational Dramatics  from  other  forms  of  dramatic  ex- 
pression, both  professional  and  amateur.  These  prin- 
ciples can  be  stated;  in  fact,  they  have  already  been 
stated  by  those  who  have  been  pioneers  in  this  educa- 
tional field. 

Definition 

Educational  Dramatics  purposes  to  select,  control, 
and  develop  the  impulses  of  the  individual  which  natu- 
rally and  spontaneously  find  expression  in  dramatic 
activity.  Its  special  aim  is  thus  to  secure  the  progres- 
sive development  of  religious  experience  in  order  that 
greater  social  usefulness  may  be  attained.  As  stated 
by  Emma  Sheridan  Fry,^  ''Educational  Dramatics  does 
not  seek  to  train  dramatic  talent  for  the  stage,  or  to 
coach  'amateur  actors'  for  a  'show.'  It  cooperates 
with  the  universal  instinct  to  develop  the  whole  human 
being  toward  life  and  citizenship." 

Outstanding     characteristics.  —  The   outstanding 

1  Educational  Dramatics,  Lloyd  Adams  Noble,  publisher. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  55 

characteristics  of  Educational  Dramatics  may  be  de- 
scribed as  follows :  It  is  a  natural  method  of  teaching 
in  that  it  travels  with  the  child's  instinctive  desires 
rather  than  counter  to  them.  Spontaneity,  or  the  play 
spirit,  marks  its  efforts,  for  it  is  not  a  forced  but 
pleasurable  activity.  It  attracts  the  whole  attention 
of  the  individual — so  much  so  that  he  lives  for  the 
time  being  the  life  which  he  is  portraying,  and  as  a 
result,  attains  the  benefit  of  this  regulated  experience 
without  the  dangers  incident  to  real  life  experiences. 

The  Test  of  the  Educational  Method 

What  shall  be  the  test  of  Educational  Dramatics? 
Is  there  any  standard  by  which  we  can  judge  the  in- 
tegrity of  our  method?  How  are  we  to  classify  the 
several  types  of  dramatic  directing? 

Form  not  indicative. — The  form  taken  by  dramatic 
expression  gives  little  indication  of  its  value.  Types 
of  presentation  in  accord  with  the  principles  of  Edu- 
cational Dramatics  for  one  age  group  may  be  un- 
suited  for  those  of  another.  The  kindergarten  child, 
whose  life  is  almost  wholly  absorbed  in  imitation,  will 
of  necessity  demand  a  different  mode  of  expression 
from  that  of  the  adolescent  girl,  who  has  a  private 
wire  to  the  dream  world  and  keeps  her  ear  to  the 
receiver  most  of  the  time.  It  may  be  well  for  those 
working  with  children  of  Primary  and  Junior  age  to 
say,  *'Don't  show  or  tell  the  participants  how  to  do  a 
thing.  Develop  the  dialogue  and  action  through  sug- 
gestion. Let  the  child  initiate."  This  rule,  however, 
may  be  violated  to  good  advantage  in  the  finger  plays 
of  early  childhood.    The  teacher  here  may  even  go  so 


56         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

far  as  to  move  the  hands  of  the  "Httle  tot"  as  he  re- 
peats the  rhythmic  Hnes.  In  the  kindergarten  it  may 
also  be  found  advisable  to  disregard  the  rule  and  to 
stimulate  the  child's  spontaneous  action  through  initial 
imitation.  Of  course  a  slavish  imitation  of  the  teacher 
or  pupils  should  not  be  encouraged,  but  where  the  im- 
aginative faculties  have  not  developed  sufficiently  to 
rouse  spontaneously  creative  activity,  the  adjustment 
of  outer  form  brought  about  through  imitation  may  be 
sufficient  to  impel  inner  activity  and  promote  the 
growth  sought. 

Again,  with  older  people  in  undertakings  such  as 
community  pageantry  the  method  must  be  changed  to 
suit  the  group  and  the  conditions.  If  methods  of  story 
dramatization  are  followed  out — that  is,  the  produc- 
tion is  allowed  to  grow  only  by  the  process  of  sugges- 
tion and  trial,  as  advised  by  certain  individuals — 
confusion  and  discord  will  result.  Group  interest  dis- 
integrates unless  a  director  in  charge  carefully  plans  the 
action  and  knows  what  should  be  done. 

Finish  not  indicative. — The  close  attention  to  de- 
tail or  finish  of  a  production  gives  little  information  as 
to  whether  or  not  it  has  been  "worked  up"  in  accord 
with  the  principles  of  Educational  Dramatics.  While 
many  of  the  dramatic  enterprises  directed  by  the  edu- 
cational method,  especially  those  hastily  gotten  up  in 
the  classroom,  appear  crude  to  the  spectator,  crudity 
is  never  a  test.  In  aesthetic  taste  and  artistic  finish 
Educational  Dramatics  may  rival  the  professional 
stage.  The  writer  had  this  fact  forcibly  brought  to 
his  attention  after  passing  criticism  on  the  presenta- 
tion of  a  production  known  as  'The  King's  Sapphire," 
given    by    the    children    of    the    Greenwich    Settle- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  57 

ment  House,  New  York  city.  Although  the  partici- 
pants were  not  self-conscious  and  acted  in  a  natural, 
unrestrained  way,  he  at  once  said :  "This  is  a  fine  per- 
formance, but  it  is  not  Educational  Dramatics.  These 
children  are  amateurs,  and  their  methods  are  those 
followed  by  professionals."  Afterwards  he  learned  that 
the  children  had  written  the  play  themselves,  designed 
the  costumes,  and  used  ideas  of  rhythmic  movement 
and  artistic  grouping  learned  in  the  gymnasium  and 
gathered  through  observation.  He  was  therefore 
forced  to  change  his  first  assertion  and  to  come  to  the 
conclusion  that  no  degree  of  perfection  in  technique 
is  beyond  those  employing  the  educational  dramatic 
method. 

Development  of  participants  the  test. — There  is 
only  one  safe  way  of  determining  whether  or  not  any 
method  employed  in  dramatization  may  rightly  be 
called  Educational  Dramatics.  It  must  be  judged  by 
the  reaction  of  the  participants  to  the  production  or 
other  form  of  dramatic  expression.  Only  an  edu- 
cational result  guarantees  the  integrity  of  the  method. 

Mental  Processes  Involved 

The  mental  processes  evoked  by  Educational  Dra- 
matics are  similar  to  those  called  into  play  in  real 
life.  Growth  and  development  are  not  brought  about 
by  any  ''hocus-pocus"  method.  ''Real  life  processes" 
are  induced.  The  fact  that  the  inner  being  is  uncon- 
sciously or  willingly  mistaken  in  the  interpretation  of 
objective  stimuli  does  not  change  the  reaction.  Illu- 
sion has  the  force  of  the  actual. 

Dramatic  illusion. — Educational  Dramatics  creates 
what  is  known  as  dramatic  illusion.    In  so  far  as  the 


58         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

individual  is  concerned,  it  differs  in  no  essential  respect 
from  other  illusion.  As  an  example  of  this  fact :  often 
due  to  objective  suggestions,  mental  susceptibility,  and 
fixity  of  attention,  objects  dimly  observed  in  the  dark 
assume  fearful  form.  To  the  individual  these  exist  as 
imagined.  His  reaction  to  them  is  the  same  as  to  objec- 
tive realities.  They  evoke  similar  responses  and  give 
similar  emotional  experiences.  On  the  other  hand, 
dramatic  illusion  evoked  in  play  or  pageant  presenta- 
tion makes  "acted-out"  scenes  seem  real.  Even  in 
such  passive  form  of  dramatic  expression  as  photo 
plays  individuals  in  the  audience  may  become  so  much 
a  part  of  the  depicted  action  that  they  cry  out  with 
fright  or  weep  in  sympathy.  Not  long  since  the  writer 
witnessed  an  exciting  photo  play  where  one  woman 
entered  into  the  depiction  to  such  an  extent  that  she 
arose  from  her  seat  and  expressed  herself  by  excited 
gesticulations. 

To  the  person  acquainted  with  the  technique  of  Edu- 
cational Dramatics  the  analogy  between  dramatic  illu- 
sion and  the  other  types  of  illusion  will  at  once  become 
apparent.  The  neutral  background  of  the  "stage-set," 
like  the  darkness  in  the  example  cited,  assists  stage  ac- 
cessories, such  as  properties  and  costumes,  to  create 
certain  effects.  Color,  light,  sound,  music,  grouping, 
movement,  action,  and  certain  mental  states  evoked  by 
former  experiences  all  have  bearing  on  the  several 
types  of  illusion.  By  observing  the  necessary  law  for 
producing  dramatic  illusion,  the  director  of  Educa- 
tional Dramatic  activities  can  regulate  emotional  expe- 
riences for  distinct  educational  purposes.  Thus  the 
rich  emotional  heritage  of  the  world's  leaders  can  be 
passed  on  to  child  and  adult  life. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  59 

Difference    Between    Educational    Dramatics 
AND  Professional  Drama 

From  even  the  brief  statement  here  attempted  of  the 
principles  involved  in  *'play  methods"  it  should  be  ap- 
parent to  the  careful  reader  that  Educational  Drama- 
tics occupies  a  field  altogether  different  from  that  filled 
by  the  stage-drama  directed  by  theatrical  managers, 
v^hich,  for  want  of  a  better  name,  we  shall  call  profes- 
sional dramatics.  Hasty  generalization  on  the  part  of 
many  people  still  causes  confusion,  however.  Asso- 
ciation too  often  connects  everything  dramatic  with 
the  commercial  stage  and  accepts  ''dramatic"  and  "  the- 
atrical" as  synonymous.  Because  of  this  fact  it  has 
been  thought  advisable  to  draw  further  comparisons 
between  the  principles  underlying  the  two  activities — 
the  professional  and  the  educational — and  thus  empha- 
size the  general  tendencies  of  both  and  the  value  of 
each  to  society. 

The  audience. — Educational  Dramatics  concerns 
itself  with  the  participants  rather  than  the  audience. 
In  fact,  an  audience  is  not  included  in  many  forms  of 
Educational  Dramatics.  The  teacher  using  dramatiza- 
tion in  the  schoolroom  often  gives  all  the  children 
parts,  if  at  all  possible,  even  though  they  be  such  acts 
as  representing  trees  and  flowers  in  the  stage-setting. 
In  such  a  case  there  is  no  auditorium.  All  is  stage — 
or,  rather,  fairyland — around  which  the  curtains  of 
imagination  are  drawn  to  shut  out  the  things  which 
would  obtrude  and  mar  dramatic  realities. 

Large  community  productions  often  almost  absorb 
the  audience,  for  the  people  become  the  participants. 
Who  will  say  that  the  mother  sitting  in  one  of  the 


6o         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

front  seats,  trembling  with  excitement  before  the  cur- 
tain goes  up,  and  who,  when  her  child  appears  on  the 
stage,  proudly  follows  every  movement  and  every  line, 
is  a  mere  onlooker?  It  is  her  production.  She  shares 
its  activities.  The  boy  who  is  allowed  to  paint  certain 
scenery,  the  newspaper  man  who  wrote  some  of  the 
publicity  articles,  the  merchant  who  sold  at  cost  the 
cloth  for  the  costumes,  the  lady  who  donated  one  of 
the  properties  for  the  stage  set,  the  composer  who  wrote 
the  music,  the  old  man  who  was  questioned  in  regard 
to  some  historical  incident,  and  scores  of  others  are 
likewise  participants  with  those  who  take  parts  on  the 
actual  stage. 

A  directly  opposite  principle  prevails  with  the  com- 
mercialized drama.  People  in  the  audience  are  not 
regarded  as  possible  participants,  but  are  made  specta- 
tors, and  robbed  of  a  chance  to  contribute  to  the  suc- 
cess of  productions.  Pleasing  the  crowd  is  always  the 
aim  of  the  stage  manager,  never  the  development  of 
the  actors  and  other  paid  specialists.  The  professional 
personnel  are  thought  of  only  as  instruments  in  pro- 
ducing effects  and  judged  by  their  abihty  to  get  ideas 
and  emotions  across  the  footlights.  Dramas  presented 
are  usually  staged  for  commercial,  not  educational  pur- 
poses, and  their  success  is  measured  by  applause,  com- 
mendation, and  box  office  receipts. 

t  Selecting  the  cast. — Since  the  aims  of  educational 
and  professional  dramatics  are  essentially  different,  it 
is  quite  natural  that  the  methods  of  selecting  the  per- 
sonnel should  be  dissimilar.  A  professional  director 
desires  specialized  actors,  people  with  physical  and  men- 
tal quality  and  training  which  will  enable  them  to 
satisfy  the  audience  demand.    On  the  other  hand,  the 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  6i 

leader  of  a  group  in  Educational  Dramatics  selects 
players  who  need  the  training  the  parts  will  give. 
Hence,  the  boy  who  is  uncouth  and  rowdy  may  be 
chosen  to  play  the  role  of  a  cultured  and  refined  gen- 
tleman; the  wealthy  young  man  of  ease  may  be  as- 
signed the  part  of  the  worker;  and  the  flippant  and 
carefree  girl,  the  part  of  the  home-maker. 

In  story-playing  where  the  players  are  chosen  by  the 
children,  and  chosen  because  of  fitness  to  play  special 
parts  or  because  of  peculiar  dress  which  will  aid  in  car- 
rying on  the  illusion,  a  necessary  function  due  to  a  lack 
of  properties  and  stage-setting,  a  different  principle  is 
necessarily  observed  than  that  used  by  the  professional 
stage  manager.  The  players  represent  the  group  and 
interpret  in  the  best  manner  possible  the  sentiments  of 
those  who  have  chosen  them.  This  same  idea  may  be 
carried  out  in  educational  productions  for  grown  peo- 
ple. A  class  festival  in  college  is  a  class  festival  even 
though  all  may  not  participate  on  the  stage.  So  can 
a  large  production  belong  to  a  community.  Then  it  is 
not  any  one  individual  who  sponsors,  and  presents  a 
production,  but  a  city  or  a  certain  neighborhood.  There 
is  a  great  difference.  One  is  the  product  of  the  in- 
dividual and  a  few  professional  assistants,  the  other 
the  expression  of  the  sympathetic  and  enthusiastic 
people. 

Illusion. — Creative  imagination  holds  an  important 
place  in  Educational  Dramatics.  When  physical  rep- 
resentation is  impossible  it  triumphs  in  bringing  into 
the  scene  the  desired  effects.  With  children  in  the 
imitative  period  it  knows  no  limitations.  It  accepts 
the  clumsiest  substitutes  and  clothes  them  as  beautiful 
and  serviceable  realities.     Rows  of  chairs  quite  easily 


(i2         iPAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

become  railroad  trains.  Strange  as  It  may  seem,  the 
inconsistencies  of  having  to  play  whistle,  bell,  loco- 
motive chug,  and  brakeman  never  seem  to  embarrass 
the  self-constituted  conductor.  Even  more  startling 
incongruities  are  overlooked  in  such  ''make  believe." 
In  the  mind's  eye  a  feather  transforms  a  small  boy 
into  a  ferocious  Indian,  and  a  few  lines  drawn  on  pa- 
per, with  the  aid  of  imagination,  become  living  char- 
acters. The  ready  mind  of  youth  is  always  ready  to 
accept,  or  make,  the  proper  symbols  to  create  neces- 
sary illusion.     Nothing  staggers  him. 

The  Chinese  in  their  national  drama  understand  this 
principle  of  suggestibility.  With  them  the  making  of 
the  stage-set  and  the  shifting  of  scenery  becomes 
largely  a  mental  process.  A  sign  placed  on  a  stick 
may  state  what  a  certain  property  is  supposed  to  rep- 
resent. In  a  production  like  the  "Yellow  Jacket," 
which  has  been  staged  in  this  country,  the  property 
man  in  plain  view  furnished  the  essentials  as  needed, 
taking  them  from  a  big  property  box  and  placing  them 
there  again  as  soon  as  they  had  fulfilled  their  pur- 
pose. As  with  small  children,  a  stick  with  a  horse's 
head  or  some  similar  make  believe  is  sufficient  to  carry 
out  the  desired  effect. 

Among  Educational  Dramatic  groups  in  America, 
illusion  rather  than  reality  of  representation  is  the 
aim.  By  the  use  of  neutral  backgrounds  which  may 
suggest  different  moods  as  the  colored  lights  are 
turned  on  them,  and  by  the  use  of  a  few  simple  prop- 
erties, an  atmosphere  is  given  to  the  production.  The 
advantage  of  this  method  is  that  the  mind  more  satis- 
factorily fills  in  the  necessary  details  than  would  be 
possible  were  paints  and  properties  employed.     Even 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  63 

on  the  professional  stage  this  way  of  estabHshing  illu- 
sion is  growing  in  favor;  but  the  general  theater  plan 
as  yet,  however,  is  that  of  doing  most  of  the  creative 
work  for  the  audience.  Professional  costumers,  scene 
painters.,  experts  on  lighting,  and  hired  personnel  in  the 
theater  usurp  the  rights  granted  by  Educational  Dra- 
matics to  the  audience,  and  shut  them  out  of  the  per- 
formance, making  them  merely  onlookers.  Theater 
spectators  have  little  part  in  the  program.  They  are 
interested,  of  course,  but  not  as  participants.  The 
payment  of  their  money  relieves  them  of  all  responsi- 
bility. 

Commercialization. — The  American  theater  is  a 
commercialized  institution.  It  is  not  operated  for 
pleasure,  or  primarily  for  the  enlightenment  of  the 
people.  It  is  controlled  by  business  men  for  pecuniary 
gain.  It  would  be  inexact  and  unfair  to  insinuate  that 
the  financial  motive  prompts  all  actors  and  managers; 
yet  it  must  be  admitted  that  professionalization  makes 
the  stage  a  business  proposition.  It  pays  salaries,  and 
incurs  expense  in  promotion  and  production.  In  fact, 
each  play  is  a  speculative  venture  involving  thousands 
of  dollars,  and  hence  it  must  "pay."  Therefore  its 
success  is  determined  by  box-office  returns.  This  is  a 
statement  of  fact,  not  a  criticism. 

It  will  be  seen  at  once  what  effect  such  limitation 
will  have  on  the  types  of  production.  The  crowd  to  a 
great  extent  becomes  the  determining  factor.  If  it  is 
depraved  and  demands  the  lewd  and  suggestive  per- 
formance, there  are  plenty  of  managers  who  seek  to 
commercialize  such  desires.  Financial  necessity  may 
almost  compel  others  to  compete  in  portraying  life 
which  to  normal  beings  is  not  only  obnoxious  but  re- 


64         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

volting.  When  chicled  for  allowing  such  objectionable 
features  to  be  introduced  the  manager  comes  back  with 
the  statement :  'T  give  the  public  what  it  wants.  When 
it  demands  something  different  and  is  willing  to  pay 
for  it,  then  I  can  furnish  such  a  performance.  I  know 
where  my  bread  and  butter  comes  from,  and  I  am  not 
in  business  for  charity." 

In  Educational  Dramatics  the  financial  consideration 
does  not  exist  or  is  of  minor  importance,  and  hence  dif- 
ficulties encountered  by  the  professional  management 
are  obviated.  Salaries  are  not  paid.  Participants  take 
part  for  the  pure  joy  of  playing.  Initial  expense  for 
costumes,  properties,  promotion,  etc.,  is  kept  down  to 
the  minimum.  Usually  a  small  admission  fee  suffices 
to  finance  any  ordinary  undertaking.  This  eliminates 
the  professional  and  makes  possible  the  use  of  local 
talent. 

The  art  of  the  people. — Perhaps  as  good  a  distinc- 
tion as  could  be  drawn  between  educational  and  pro- 
fessional dramatics  would  be  to  say  that  the  one  is  the 
product  of  an  autocracy  which  governs  by  certain  well- 
established  rules  and  precedents;  the  other  is  the  ex- 
pression of  a  democracy  unfettered  by  tradition.  Un- 
der these  circumstances  the  latter  is  able  to  do,  un- 
blushingly,  what  the  professional  terms  the  impossible. 
It  enjoys  freedom  in  creating  new  forms  and  enlarging 
the  scope  and  interest  of  dramatic  production.  The 
modern  tendency  is  toward  the  latter  ideal.  The  Little 
Theater,  community  festivals,  and  all  types  of  Educa- 
tional Dramatics  are  manifestations  of  this  new  spirit. 
While  such  may  never  do  away  with  the  professional 
playhouse,  it  is  certain  that  they  will  give  drama  a 
greater  place  in  community  life  and  make  it  a  thing 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  65 

of  the  people  even  as  music  has  become  a  community 
means  of  artistic  expression. 

Books  for  Reference 

Emma  Sheridan  Fry,  Educational  Dramatics. 

Hilliard-McCormick-Ogleby,  Amateur  and  Educa- 
tional Dramatics. 

AHce  Minnie  Herts,  The  Children's  Educational 
Theater. 

Helen  L.  Willcox,  Mission  Study  Through  Educes 
tional  Dramatics. 


66         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

CHAPTER  V 
SELECTING  THE  THEME 

Great  care  should  be  exercised  in  selecting  mate- 
rial to  be  dramatized.  The  interests  of  the  participants 
need  to  be  considered.  In  case  of  children's  produc- 
tions this  is  particularly  true.  Certain  types  appeal 
to  one  age  and  will  make  little  or  no  appeal  to  an- 
other. The  play  of  the  little  child  is  imitative.  For 
instance,  it  enjoys  showing  the  way  the  rain  comes 
down,  and  the  way  mother  rocks  the  baby.  The  boy 
at  the  "Big-Injun"  age,  of  course,  does  not  like  to  play 
snowdrop.  He  wants  excitement  and  action,  and 
plenty  of  it.  On  the  other  hand,  in  the  gawky,  pin- 
feather  stage,  as  Joseph  Lee  describes  the  adolescent 
boy,  he  doesn't  have  a  strong  desire  to  play  Indian. 
He  wishes  to  take  the  part  of  Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  the 
courtier,  the  Romeo. 

It  will  thus  be  seen  that  to  carry  out  the  purposes 
of  Educational  Dramatics,  which  is  to  use  the  in- 
stincts and  impulses  for  educational  ends,  we  must 
know  the  nature  of  these  motives  and  how  they  are 
naturally  expressed  in  spontaneous  activity. 

The  Age  Interests 

A  study  of  child  psychology  is  considered  an  abso- 
lute prerequisite  in  the  selection  of  the  lesson  mate- 
rial for  the  graded  Sunday  school  and  day  schools. 
Successful  story-tellers  also  have  learned,  either  by 
study  or  by  much  experience,  the  story  interests  of  the 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  67 

different  periods  and  have  adapted  their  material  ac- 
cordingly. A  similar  study  and  adaptation  is  neces- 
sary for  all  Educational  Dramatic  productions.  The 
child's  spontaneous  interests  and  dispositions  must  be 
regarded.  Only  thus  will  the  learning  process  be 
facilitated  and  complete  selfhood  developed. 

The  make-believe  period. — The  make-believe  pe- 
riod has  often  been  called  the  age  of  dramatic  imita- 
tion. The  child  impersonates  nearly  everything  with 
which  he  comes  in  contact.  He  assumes  the  attitude 
of  father,  mother,  big  brother  and  sister,  and  has  no 
difficulty  in  acting  any  of  the  roles.  Dogs,  cats,  horses, 
and  pigs  can  likewise  be  impersonated — rather  the 
lives  of  these  animals  lived,  for  he  has  the  power 
of  putting  himself  in  the  place  of  what  he  represents. 
He  feels  an  even  closer  kinship  to  dumb  creatures  than 
to  mankind,  sharing  more  sympathetically  with  them 
in  their  joys  and  sorrows  than  he  does  with  human 
beings.  To  him  the  trees,  the  clouds,  and  the  winds 
have  a  life  that  can  be  interpreted.  He  sees  nothing 
strange  in  taking  the  part  of  a  sunbeam  or  a  raindrop. 
Often  he  does  this  spontaneously.  The  world  is  still 
a  ''make-believe  stage,"  and  he  can  be  the  manager, 
property  man,  and  the  whole  cast  if  necessary.  Cos- 
tumes trouble  him  little.  They  are  not  essentials.  And 
as  for  properties,  they  are  easily  improvised.  Boxes 
can  become  trolley  cars,  or  boats,  or  tables;  and  sun- 
baked mud  assumes  the  likeness  of  flaky  pie  crust.  Any 
happening  can  be  staged  and,  thanks  to  the  imagination, 
there  are  never  Philistines  in  the  audience. 

You  may  say,  "Yes,  we  have  plenty  of  secular 
rhymes  and  stories,  dramatic  games  and  finger  plays 
suitable  for  children  of  this  age,  but  what  about  mate- 


68         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

rial  for  religious  education?"  That  nature  stories  can 
be  adapted  to  teach  Christian  truth  will  be  quite  evident 
to  those  who  familiarize  themselves  with  the  work  for 
the  Beginner's  Department  of  the  church  school.  The 
Bible  also  is  a  storehouse  of  stories. 

Where  can  better  be  found  than  those  of  the  baby 
Moses  or  of  the  child  Samuel?  In  connection  with 
songs  and  with  the  simple  rhythmic  movement  so  suit- 
able for  this  age  both  nature  and  Bible  stories  may  be 
acted  out  and  interpreted  in  a  natural,  ''free-from- 
stagy"  way.  Suggestions  and  occasional  assistance 
will  suffice  to  direct  the  play  activities  of  the  children. 

The  imaginative  period. — He  who  has  lived  the 
happy  life  of  childhood,  where  time  and  space  and 
matter  do  not  constantly  shut  from  sight  the  nymphs, 
fairies,  and  eery  creatures  of  the  forest  and  stream, 
would  never  think  of  robbing  the  child  of  the  heritage 
of  folk  legends,  fairy  tales,  and  wonder  stories,  now 
made  available  to  all  children.  He  realizes  the  value 
of  this  period  and,  throwing  aside  all  dignity,  play- 
fully goes  hand  in  hand  with  the  child  to  this  en- 
chanted world;  and  sophisticated  though  he  may  be, 
tries  to  peer  under  the  curtains  for  another  glimpse  of 
the  fairy  queen  who  once  held  him  spellbound  by  the 
touch  of  her  magic  wand. 

Some  children  enjoy  to  the  full  this  fanciful  king- 
dom and  linger  long  even  after  the  gnome  of  age  would 
drive  them  forever  out  of  the  fairyland  into  the  world 
of  reality.  Others  may  never  enter  in.  A  few  catch 
but  a  glimpse  of  the  aerial  forms  as  they  are  hurriedly 
pushed  by.  It  is  very  difficult  to  say  for  just  how  many 
years  the  average  person  will  eagerly  drink  in  the  se- 
crets of  this  imaginative  realm.     We  know,  neverthe- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  69 

less,  its  value.  The  great  leaders  of  the  world — those 
with  foresight,  the  creators  and  men  of  genius — have 
lingered  long  in  this  period,  to  some,  seemingly,  a  time 
given  over  to  foolish  fancies.  They  regard  it  as  the 
most  profitable  of  all  since  it  has  given  them  the 
desire  to  walk  in  and  to  clear  unknown  paths  for  the 
human  race. 

There  is  an  abundance  of  dramatic  material  for 
children  of  this  age.  There  are  the  delightful  books 
familiar  to  all  who  were  ever  initiated  into  the  pleas- 
ures of  childhood — Perrault,  Grimm,  and  Hans  An- 
dersen. Then  there  are  the  *'Wonder-Why  Stories," 
which  account  the  beginning  of  things — for  religious 
teachers  the  chief  source  book  being  the  Bible.  And  for 
the  latter  part  of  the  period  when  the  child  is  passing 
to  an  interest  in  heroic  characters  there  are  legendary 
tales  and  folks  myths.  All  such  stories,  of  course,  do 
not  lend  themselves  to  dramatization  but  many  may  be 
studied,  and  the  suitable  ones  selected. 

As  in  the  make-believe  period,  the  child  has  the 
happy  faculty  of  making  dramatic  illusion  triumph  over 
reality.  Toward  the  latter  part  of  the  period,  how- 
ever, this  faculty  may  not  be  so  pronounced  and  there 
may  even  be  a  distinct  aversion  to  such  make-believe, 
especially  with  boys.  When  the  dramatic  illusion, 
characteristic  of  early  childhood,  is  regarded  by  the  boy 
as  "kid  play,"  the  constructive  imagination  may  be 
utilized  more  and  more. 

Certain  types  of  motion  pictures,  puppet  plays,  and 
operettas  are  helpful  in  developing  selfhood  in  that 
they  make  possible  a  satisfaction  of  the  dramatic  in- 
stinct. In  them  the  fanciful  creations  are  presented 
in  an  artistic  and  attractive  way.     The  child  should 


yo         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

not  be  so  accustomed,  however,  to  this  type  of  per- 
formance that  he  will  become  discouraged  in  the  ex- 
pression of  his  own  imagination.  Such  productions 
should  be  introduced  to  stimulate  rather  than  to 
satisfy. 

The  heroic  period. — The  transition  from  the  im- 
aginative period  of  childhood  into  the  realistic  period 
is  to  the  child  like  the  awakening  from  a  dream.  He 
has  been  living  in  a  fanciful  world  and,  of  course, 
reality  comes  as  a  shock.  For  a  time  he  seems  dazed 
and  hardly  knows  just  what  to  do.  He  is  bored  in  the 
not  doing,  and  equally  disgusted  at  the  suggestion  of 
any  specific  activity.  The  games  of  childhood  are 
"kid  games,"  and  as  yet  he  has  not  found  new  inter- 
ests. Shortly,  however,  he  begins  to  pinch  himself,  so 
to  speak,  to  see  if  the  change  has  really  occurred  and 
that  he  is  not  again  misled.  Then  he  begins  to  inves- 
tigate the  new  world. 

He  tests  everything,  and  in  getting  excitement  out 
of  the  effort  and  in  competing  with  others,  begins  to 
take  an  interest  in  daring,  spectacular  feats.  In  the 
country  this  activity  is  really  not  harmful,  since  he 
usually  stops  short  of  breaking  bones.  The  boy  in  the 
city  and  small  town  is  often  led  into  what  to  his  way 
of  thinking  is  ''bully  good  fun  with  lots  of  thrills 
thrown  in,"  but  which  may  be  carried  out  to  such  an 
extent  that  it  becomes  crime  against  society.  Hence 
we  see  him  in  the  police  courts,  and  it  looks  almost 
as  though  nature  in  giving  him  his  instincts  which 
craved  excitement  and  demanded  daring  action  had 
willfully  urged  him  on  to  his  destruction.  A  careful 
study  of  this  instinct,  however,  will  show  that  such  is 
not  the  intention.    The  impulse  is  essential.     It  trains 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  71 

him  to  be  a  leader  with  initiative,  courage,  and  aggres- 
siveness. The  evils  following  are  the  resultant  of  an 
improper  opportunity  for  expression — rather  the  lack 
of  a  due  means  of  expression.  The  task  of  a  leader 
becomes  at  once  apparent.  He  must  furnish  the  proper 
outlet  for  this  inherent  desire. 

The  boy  at  this  stage  admires  the  heroes  of  the 
race — the  big,  rugged,  elemental  men.  He  likes  action. 
In  fact,  he  cannot  long  remain  inactive  and  his  con- 
structive sense  constantly  keeps  urging  him  to  fashion 
— to  create.  He  has  a  ready  memory.  He  also  has 
reached  the  stage  where  he  takes  delight  in  worth 
while  accomplishments. 

With  such  a  background  the  drama  makes  one  of 
the  most  fitting  forms  of  activity  to  gain  his  whole- 
hearted interest.  The  leader  must  remember,  however, 
that  not  every  type  of  production  will  appeal  to  him. 
He  has  outgrown  most  of  the  fairy  tales  and  make- 
believe  representations  of  his  early  childhood  and  will 
have  nothing  to  do  with  them.  But  give  him  the 
chance  to  enact  the  part  of  a  real,  red-blooded  con- 
queror, and  he  is  in  his  sphere.  He  will  hunt  in  books 
for  fitting  lines  for  his  parts  and  wall  study  designs 
that  the  sword  and  shield  which  he  has  made  with  his 
own  hands  may  be  fitting  and  superior  to  those  made 
by  his  fellows. 

We  are  all  more  or  less  hero  worshipers,  and  so 
there  is  no  trouble  in  finding  material  for  dramatiza- 
tion. There  are  the  old  legends,  the  national  epics 
such  as  those  describing  the  exploits  of  King  Arthur, 
Beowulf,  and  Sigurd.  We  need  not  leave  history, 
since  many  of  the  characters,  secular  and  sacred,  ap- 
peal to  boy  life.     What  would  be  more  fitting  than 


^2         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

that  a  boy  should  portray  the  life  of  a  Washington, 
a  Robert  Bruce,  or  a  William  Tell?  or,  turning  to  the 
field  of  sacred  history,  that  of  a  David,  an  Abraham, 
or  a  Paul?  The  currents  of  emotion  which  tingled 
through  the  nerves  of  these  men  and  made  them  great 
will  stimulate  their  understudies  and  prompt  to  heroic 
and  honorable  action. 

The  period  of  group  loyalty. — An  awakening  social 
consciousness  characterizes  this  period.  The  boy  who 
in  the  Indian  stage  was  a  little  savage,  selfish  and  ego- 
tistic, now  joins  himself  to  some  small  organization 
and  begins  to  submerge  his  individual  desires  in  the 
interests  of  those  with  whom  he  is  bound  by  the  inex- 
orable laws  of  the  group.  "Loyalty"  becomes  his  slo- 
gan, and  so  much  has  this  idea  become  a  part  of  his 
nature  that  he  seldom  *'peaches"  on  the  gang,  even 
when  refusal  to  do  so  may  cause  him  suffering  and 
punishment. 

The  boy  is  still  a  hero  worshiper,  but  the  hero  as- 
sumes a  different  role.  He  is  no  longer  the  primitive 
cave-man  type  gloating  in  affairs  of  conquest  which 
call  for  brute  strength.  He,  as  the  boy,  has  become 
a  member  of  society,  and  that  demands  loyalty  and 
self-denial.  Hence  we  find  the  hero  the  patriot  who 
dies  for  the  welfare  of  his  country,  the  leader  who  is 
willing  to  sacrifice  himself  for  some  great  cause,  and 
the  knight,  gallant,  devoted  and  chivalrous.  As  in  the 
age  of  imaginative  childhood,  there  is  the  desire  to 
imitate  and  to  deal  with  the  fanciful.  The  boy  becomes 
a  ''dreamer  of  dreams"  and  peoples  his  new  world  with 
ideal  personages  who  accomplish  spectacular  results 
against  stupendous  odds. 

The  nature  of  the  boy  and  girl  in  this  period  is  quite 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  73 

similar  in  many  particulars.  The  girl  is  bound  to  the 
group,  becomes  less  self -centered,  but  does  not  evince 
the  same  spirit  of  loyalty  as  is  manifested  in  the  bay. 
The  boy  is  active,  always  on  the  go,  while  the  girl  may 
seem  at  times  to  be  really  indolent.  Both  are  imitators, 
and  it  is  hard  to  determine  often  which  may  become 
the  more  ludicrous — the  boy  affecting  the  manners  of 
the  hero  of  the  gridiron,  or  the  girl  those  of  her  favor- 
ite movie  star  who  may  differ  altogether  from  her  in 
temperament. 

The  awakening  of  sex  consciousness  adds  a  romance 
to  the  life  of  both  which  may  be  helpful  or  harmful, 
depending  largely  upon  the  ideal  that  has  been  created 
by  environment.  In  the  boy  it  is  often  well  to  stimulate 
the  romantic  spirit  under  direction.  The  imaginative 
nature  of  the  girl,  how^ever,  is  such  that  only  w^hen  she 
is  abnormal  is  this  necessary.  She  is  by  nature  more 
of  a  dreamer  than  her  brother. 

The  gang  spirit  makes  possible  larger  undertakings 
of  a  dramatic  nature  than  have  been  attempted  before. 
Group  loyalty  is  a  new  asset.  There  is  a  dramatic 
element  in  the  gang  itself  as  evidenced  by  the  elaborate 
ritual  of  many  organizations,  the  passwords,  etc., 
which  makes  it  a  fertile  field  for  work.  Because  of 
the  inherent  nature  of  the  youth,  historical  incidents 
which  picture  altruistic  leaders  are  especially  valuable 
for  dramatization.  Emulation  of  such  lives  as  those 
of  Florence  Nightingale,  Nathan  Hale,  Joan  of  Arc, 
Sir  Walter  Raleigh,  and  even  the  gentler  heroes  of  the 
Arthurian  legends,  will  direct  the  romantic  spirit  into 
right  channels.  The  missionary  fields  also  have  a  great 
host  of  noble  men  and  women  whose  lives  might  well 
be  dramatized,  and  the  Bible  has  some  of  the  most 


74         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

worthy  characters  for  representation  to  be  found  in 
any  Hterature. 

Attention,  however,  should  not  be  wholly  given  to 
the  dramatization  of  historical  incidents.  Charades, 
dramatic  "stunts,"  tableaux,  and  pantomimes  may  be 
used  as  popular  means  of  entertaining,  and  rightfully 
handled  they  may  prove  educative.  This  is  the  age 
when  the  simple  little  comedy  is  especially  attractive 
to  the  boy.  He  enjoys  "taking  off"  the  characters  of 
peculiar  people,  and  a  minstrel  performance  always 
meets  his  approval.  In  the  girl  the  desire  for  rhythmic 
expression  is  almost  as  strong  an  urge.  She  delights  in 
graceful  interpretive  movements. 

The  period  of  romantic  idealism. — Who  does  not 
remember  the  "storm-and-stress  period"  of  life — the 
time  when  the  creative  imagination  was  most  active — 
the  years  of  wistful  yearning  and  egoistic  planning? 
Life  was  like  a  day  in  April,  fitful  and  changing.  What 
trips  the  mind  took!  No  limitations  were  set  to  its 
activities  and  accomplishments.  In  the  world  of 
dreams,  and  often  in  the  world  of  "things  as  they  are," 
it  translated  its  possessor  to  unknown  places  and  stimu- 
lated him  to  unusual  feats  of  skill  and  daring.  Not 
until  stern  reality  obtruded  was  there  a  cessation  of 
romantic  imaginings. 

The  egoistic  reflections  of  youth  cause  him  to  feel 
different  from  every  other  person.  He  imagines  cer- 
tain talents  and  abilities  which  will  open  the  world  of 
knowledge  and  invention  to  humanity.  "When  once 
he  settles  down  to  business,"  he  thinks,  "once  gets 
away  from  the  restraints  of  school  and  parental  au- 
thority, he  will  do  things."  Just  here  comes  the  con- 
flict.    Nature  would  make  him  a  dreamer.     Circum- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  75 

stances,  on  the  other  hand,  shatter  his  hopes  and  aspira- 
tions by  their  "matter-of-factness"  and  compel  him  to 
think  in  terms  of  Hving  necessities.  This  battle  royal 
waged  between  inherent  desires  and  environment 
causes  distress  and  mental  turbidity;  and  often  evokes 
philosophic  questionings  which  are  distressing. 

The  person  of  this  period  is  a  lover.  It  is  the  age  of 
emotional  sentiment.  Youth  falls  in  love  with  the 
world,  with  friends,  with  boy  and  girl  companions, 
and  with  the  beautiful.  He  even  falls  in  love  with  the 
evil  and  destructive.  The  loved  is  idealized.  Nothing 
compares  with  it.  Imagination  gives  it  an  added 
touch  of  attractiveness.  This  fascination  may  find  ex- 
pression in  what  has  been  termed  as  "mere  gush." 
Usually,  however,  there  is  a  deeper  emotion  which  is 
safely  guarded  from  the  overcurious  and  inquisitive. 
Such  sentiments  are  held  sacred.  Often  one  would 
never  imagine  them  present  in  certain  individuals  were 
it  not  for  the  occasional  unconscious  expression  of  that 
which  flames  within. 

Youth  does  very  little  alone.  Cooperatively,  work 
is  undertaken,  not  because  of  obHgation  but  because  of 
affections.  The  gang  spirit  has  given  way  to  more 
intimate  personal  relationships.  Sacrifice  and  self- 
denial  are  practiced  that  the  ideal  may  be  attained.  The 
heroic  makes  a  strong  appeal.  Many  girls  desire  to 
become  nurses  and  missionaries.  Social  service 
achievements  attract  boys.  The  great  mistake  of  the 
church  is  that  it  has  not  recognized  this  inherent  desire 
to  serve  and  afforded  it  better  direction.  Unheeded 
this  impulse  soon  fades  like  an  unwatered  flower. 

Physical,  mental,  and  spiritual  activity  characterizes 
this  age.    Young  people  want  to  be  doing  things.  They 


^6         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

are  wrapped  up  in  the  enthusiasm  of  achievements. 
Athletics,  debates,  literary  and  social  accomplishments, 
or  whatever  may  be  the  ideal,  command  their  whole- 
hearted effort.  Sometimes  this  is  the  most  productive 
period  of  life.  Many  of  the  world's  leaders  have  at- 
tained their  success  and  recognition  before  their  twen- 
ties. Likewise,  disheartening  as  it  may  seem,  far  the 
greater  number  of  criminals  are  incarcerated  before 
the  same  age.  The  desire  for  recognition  and  for  the 
thrill  which  comes  from  idealized  living  plunges  youth 
into  disgraceful  conduct  as  well  as  into  altruistic  serv- 
ice and  worth-while  creative  effort. 

The  task  of  the  leader  of  young  peeple  is  to  sense 
the  hidden  desires,  longings,  and  aspirations  of  each 
individual  (they  cannot  be  studied  en  masse)  and  di- 
rect activities  which  will  bring  out  latent  qualities, 
promote  clean  and  wholesome  living,  and  stimulate 
high  ideals.  Educational  Dramatics  is  especially  suited 
to  this  purpose.  It  affords  an  opportunity  for  creative 
effort  in  any  number  of  ways — writing  of  script,  de- 
signing of  costume,  painting  of  background,  harmon- 
izing of  colors,  study  of  historical  fact  and  customs, 
and  interpretation  of  character.  It  enables  the  in- 
dividual to  romp  for  hours  in  the  world  of  dreams, 
gives  him  the  thrill  of  exultation  which  possessed  the 
character  he  plays,  and  quickens  within  him  an  enthusi- 
asm for  righteous  living. 

Pageant  productions  are  suitable  for  this  age.  They 
call  for  few  or  no  star  parts,  allow  for  a  large  number 
of  participants,  and  stimulate  expression  without  em- 
barrassment. In  the  hands  of  a  capable  director  the 
play  may  be  even  more  valuable.  A  ''short  cast"  allows 
a  careful  study  of  individuals.     Intimacies  are  estab- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  77 

lished.  Directed  play  analysis  emphasizes  in  a  whole- 
some and  acceptable  way,  the  consequences  of  wrong- 
doing and  the  rewards  of  virtuous  living.  Facts 
gained  in  this  fashion  do  not  seem  "preachy."  Play 
experiences  likewise  leave  vivid  impressions  and  are 
not  to  be  lightly  regarded  in  moral  training. 

The  choice  of  the  play  or  pageant  nominally  should 
be  left  to  the  players  themselves.  The  director,  how- 
ever, should  direct  them  to  worth-while  dramas.  If 
only  the  better  productions  are  placed  in  the  hands  of 
players  or  committees  who  are  selecting  suitable  mate- 
rial for  dramatization,  no  embarrassing  situations  will 
arise  caused  by  choices  which  would  prove  demoraliz- 
ing and  unsuitable. 

The  period  of  adulthood. — The  characteristics  of 
the  adult  period?  One  cannot  classify  the  instincts 
of  this  period  under  one  general  head  as  has  been  done 
for  the  other  age  groups.  The  adult  is  motivated  by 
what  is  left  after  the  environment,  good  or  bad,  has 
stimulated  or  crushed  the  inherent  impulses,  plus  the 
interests  created  by  social  and  economic  relationships. 

Of  these  latter  interests  perhaps  that  of  the  family  is 
the  one  which  colors  life  more  than  any  other.  It  fur- 
nishes the  romance  which  man  craves.  The  commer- 
cial theater  realizes  the  universality  of  this  appeal,  and 
so  caters  to  it.  If  it  were  used  to  portray  life  at  its 
best,  it  would  be  helpful.  Often,  however,  the  theater 
as  evidenced  by  the  portrayal  of  relationships  in  which 
deception  and  every  manner  of  intrigue  are  glorified 
and  the  sanctities  of  life  are  made  subjects  of  jests, 
creates  wrong  standards  and  is  made  the  means  of  tear- 
ing down  rather  than  building  character. 

Demoralizing  as  have  been  certain  manifestations  of 


78         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

this  interest  in  the  family,  it  also  takes  man  back  to  the 
glorious  days  of  his  childhood.  It  enables  the  father 
and  son  to  enjoy  together  the  old  rhythmic  games;  and 
it  is  not  at  all  certain  who  gets  the  more  pleasure  out 
of  playing  'Tat-a-cake" — the  parent  or  the  child. 
Fairies  once  more  are  given  a  place  in  life,  as  are  also 
the  red-blooded  heroes  and  martyrs  of  truth.  The 
reawakening  of  this  dramatic  instinct  makes  it  possible 
for  adult  life  to  be  filled  with  all  the  richness  and  beauty 
which  characterizes  that  of  youth. 

Charles  Dillingham,  one  of  the  greatest  psychologists 
of  the  stage,  realizes  that  the  family  interest  quickens 
the  pull  of  all  the  old  instincts  and  impulses  in  man, 
and  so  plans  his  spectacular  pageant  each  year  that  he 
may  meet  this  universal  appeal.  He  furnishes  the 
rhythmic  movement  and  music  of  the  kindergarten,  the 
imaginative  fairyland,  the  funny  clown,  the  stunt  man, 
the  spectacular  and  thrilling  features,  the  child  imper- 
sonations, the  reminiscent  scenes  which  take  one  back 
to  childhood,  and  even  the  tactful  suggestion  of  sacri- 
fice and  sorrows. 

Social  Interests 

There  is  a  distinct  value  gained  from  enlarging  one's 
social  sympathy  and  understanding.  New  interests  are 
thus  created.  Educational  Dramatics  accomplishes 
this.  It,  however,  follows  the  laws  of  psychology  in 
attaining  its  ends.  It  introduces  the  new  in  the  terms 
of  the  old.  It  realizes  that  "blood  is  not  red  a  thousand 
miles  away"  and  endeavors  to  bring  facts  close  at  hand 
through  some  personal  connection.  It  establishes  a 
point  of  contact  with  the  individual.  Unless  this  point 
of  contact  is  established  through  some  interest,  any 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  79 

dramatic  undertaking  will  be  a  failure  from  the  stand- 
point of  Educational  Dramatics.  For  that  reason  an 
enumeration  of  some  of  the  outstanding  social  inter- 
ests may  prove  suggestive. 

Intemational  interests. — There  are  certain  interests 
which  because  of  their  universal  significance  may  be 
called  international.  War  creates  many  new  points  of 
contact.  The  same  also  may  be  said  of  commerce,  art, 
religion,  and  great  personalities.  Three  religions — 
Christianity,  Mohammedanism,  and  Judaism — have 
focused  the  eyes  of  the  world  on  a  Httle,  rocky,  unfer- 
tile spot  of  ground — Palestine.  Appreciation  of  art 
and  culture  has  glorified  Greece  in  our  eyes,  and  drawn 
thousands  of  people  annually  to  study  the  great  mas- 
terpieces in  Italy.  Because  of  the  influence  of  Marconi, 
La  Fayette,  Columbus,  Garibaldi,  Napoleon,  and  Flor- 
ence Nightingale  events  in  connection  with  their  lives 
attract  our  attention. 

The  fact  that  coffee  comes  largely  from  Brazil,  tea 
from  China,  and  silk  from  Japan  has  acquainted  us 
more  or  less  with  these  countries  and  awakened  a  de- 
sire among  us  for  an  understanding  of  their  customs 
and  mode  of  living.  Mention  also  should  be  made  of 
the  interest  aroused  in  political  science,  international 
law,  and  world  betterment,  brought  about  by  national 
conflicts  and  alliances.  The  late  w^ar  is  an  illustration 
of  this  fact.  Before  we  w^ere  actually  involved  in 
armed  conflict,  the  majority  of  people  gave  it  little 
consideration.  But  when  neighbors,  sons  and  brothers 
were  in  France  many  new  interests  were  awakened — 
interest  in  the  army,  in  individuals,  in  France  and  her 
people,  in  past  history,  in  home  problems  and  in  new 
ideals. 


8o         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

National  interests. — People  are  more  interested  in 
their  own  nation  than  in  any  other.  It  is  the  cowboy 
of  our  plains  that  is  pictured  on  the  screen,  not  the 
cowboy  of  South  America  or  Australia.  The  Indian 
is  American  and  has  been  one  of  the  main  characters  in 
nearly  all  of  our  historical  pageants.  The  Mountain 
Whites,  the  Negro,  the  Westerner,  the  Yankee,  and  the 
Southerner  likewise  are  of  national  importance.  We 
must  also  include  in  this  classification  the  people  of  our 
new  dependencies — Cuba,  Hawaii,  the  Philippines,  and 
Alaska. 

The  foreigner,  in  this  country  of  many  nations, 
brings  with  him  many  new  interests.  He  usually 
comes  with  great  expectations.  He  looks  at  our  coun- 
try as  the  land  of  liberty,  a  place  where  he  will  be 
allowed  opportunity  to  express  that  which  economic 
conditions  and  oppression  have  hindered  in  the  Old 
World.  He  brings  with  him  the  heritage  of  the  past 
— the  arts,  learning,  and  ideals.  He  has  sworn  alle- 
giance to  America,  but  he  still  loves  the  land  of  his 
birth,  which  is  natural  and  nothing  to  cause  us  alarm. 
Loving  the  old  country  as  he  does,  he  is  pleased  to  dress 
in  native  costume  and  to  take  part  in  any  worthy 
dramatic  production  which  will  portray  conditions  with 
which  he  is  familiar.  In  encouraging  him  to  give  such 
expression  we  put  our  stamp  of  approval  upon  the  best 
of  his  racial  heritage,  and  cause  him  to  be  influenced 
by  it  rather  than  the  ideals  of  the  slum  district  which 
too  often  is  his  home. 

National  movements — religious,  social,  political,  and 
economic — offer  interests  which  are  almost  irresistible. 
Little  urging  is  needed  to  secure  the  hearty  support  of 
suffragists  in  staging  propaganda  for  their  cause.    Dig- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  8i 

nified  men  will  appear  ridiculous,  put  on  strange  garb 
and  give  much  time  and  effort  to  represent  their  organ- 
ization at  a  national  convention,  social  or  political. 
And  for  the  sake  of  the  church  and  its  teachings, 
months  of  preparation  will  be  willingly  spent  for  a 
worth-while  demonstration. 

Anniversaries,  such  as  the  birthdays  of  great  men, 
some  of  which  are  celebrated  as  national  holidays,  fur- 
nish occasions  for  community  pageants  or  for  smaller 
productions  suitable  for  schools  and  other  organiza- 
tions— likewise,  the  celebration  of  such  important  an- 
niversaries as  the  Landing  of  the  Pilgrims,  the  signing 
of  the  Declaration  of  Independence,  and  the  founding 
of  churches,  or  societies. 

Community  interests.  — Historical  pageantry  has 
been  one  of  the  most  common  forms  of  community  ex- 
pression within  the  past  ten  years.  The  values — social, 
educational,  and  aesthetic — have  been  appreciated,  but 
the  movement  has  usually  resulted  in  but  one  large  en- 
terprise. There  seems  to  be  a  feeling  that  the  large 
pageant  can  deal  only  with  historical  subjects,  and,  of 
course,  repetition  every  year  is  out  of  the  question. 
Perhaps  the  misapprehension  comes  from  the  fact  that 
organized  pageantry  in  this  country  has  usually  repre- 
sented historical  incidents.  It  is  not  so  limited,  how- 
ever. It  can  be  made  the  means  of  expression  for 
many  types  of  community  interests. 

The  interest  created  by  the  visit  of  a  notable  citizen, 
the  return  of  honored  townsmen,  soldiers,  or  even  vic- 
torious athletic  teams  creates  occasions  for  dramatic 
presentation  in  which  many  will  be  eager  to  cooperate. 
Every  local  community  from  time  to  time  has  problems 
of  vital  interest  which  may  be  visualized  to  the  indif- 


82  PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

ferent.  Enterprising  citizens  with  the  welfare  of  the 
city  at  heart  are  glad  to  cooperate  in  such  undertak- 
ings. When  the  value  of  dramatic  expression  as  a 
means  of  education  is  made  known  commercial  clubs, 
labor  organizations,  and  other  units  in  the  communities 
will  avail  themselves  of  its  possibilities  since  it  will 
furnish  the  means  whereby  they  may  express  their 
wants  and  their  aspirations. 

Educational  recreation. — A  certain  value  attaches 
to  productions  intended  largely  for  recreation  and  en- 
tertainment. Humorous  and  unpretentious  little 
farces  or  comedies  interest  and  refresh  players  and 
audience  alike.  Old  folks  enjoy  dressing  up  for  char- 
acter impersonations  quite  as  much  as  do  children  and 
young  people.  A  person  who  has  been  one  of  the 
players  in  a  simple  little  neighborhood  affair  is  ac- 
quainted with  the  real  pleasure  and  enjoyment  which 
comes  from  the  rehearsals  and  the  actual  presentation. 
The  worth-whileness  of  such  production  is  shown  in 
the  animated  faces  and  expressions  of  enjoyment. 

Frequently  individuals  in  the  community  may  plan, 
write,  and  stage  these  little  dramatizations  for  social 
functions.  Often  they  may  be  played  in  some  neigh- 
borhood home  or  lawn.  Subjects  of  local  interest 
woven  in  plots  give  them  a  freshness  and  suitability 
that  does  not  obtain  with  copyright  productions.  Lit- 
tle harmless  jokes,  quips,  and  the  portrayal  of  well 
recognized  eccentricities  may  keep  people  in  a  happy 
mood  for  weeks. 

Minstrels,  mock  trials,  "take  offs"  on  instructors, 
impersonations  of  musical  organizations,  burlesques 
"gotten  up"  for  "stunt  nights,"  simple  dramatizations 
for  literary  society,  club,  or  church  affairs,  and  other 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  83 

like  productions,  all  have  their  place  in  the  educational 
field.  Greater  values  often  accrue  from  such  presenta- 
tions than  from  those  directed  solely  for  educational 
ends. 

The  Text 

Great  care  must  be  exercised  in  selecting  dramatic 
material  to  be  used  in  religious  education.  The  same 
laws  of  selection  which  apply  to  the  professional  stage 
do  not  hold  here.  Other  than  entertainment  or  com- 
mercial values  are  to  be  considered.  The  day  and  place 
of  production  also  complicates  matters.  Many  dramas 
suitable  for  community  hall  have  no  place  in  the  church 
auditorium,  and  some  productions  which  could  very 
well  be  staged  during  the  week  are  not  appropriate  for 
Sunday  evening  services. 

Play  Lists. — The  question,  "From  whom  can  we 
order  dramatic  material  suitable  for  church  use?"  can 
now  be  answered.  Three  quite  exhaustive  lists  describ- 
ing plays  and  pageants  have  been  compiled — Plays  and 
Pageants  for  Church  and  Parish  House,  The  Abingdon 
Press;  Pageants  and  Plays  approved  by  the  Commis- 
sion on  Church  Pageantry  and  Drama,  Protestant 
Episcopal  Church;  and  A  Second  List  of  Plays  and 
Pageants,  Womans  Press. 

Books  for  Reference 
Joseph  Lee,  Play  in  Education. 

Katherine  Dunlap  Gather,  Educating  by  Story-Telling, 
Anne  T.  Craig,  The  Dramatic  Festival. 
Norsworthy- Whitley,  Psychology  of  Childhood. 
Luella  A.  Palmer,  Play  Life  in  the  First  Eight  Years. 
Luther  A.  Weigle,  The  Pupil  and  the  Teacher. 
Percival  Chubb  and  Associates,  Festivals  and  Plays. 


84         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 


CHAPTER     VI 

STORY    PLAYING    AND    OTHER    SIMPLE 
FORMS  OF  DRAMATIZATION 

The  "make-believe"  play  of  childhood  is  the  most 
spontaneous  form  of  dramatic  activity.  It  is  a  natural 
and  common  mode  of  expression,  prompted  by  inher- 
ent impulses  and  instincts.  No  one  teaches  the  child 
to  play  house,  store,  church,  funeral  and  circus.  Often 
the  "little  tot"  works  out  elaborate  stories  in  which 
he  assigns  the  parts  to  doll  characters.  Such  spon- 
taneous "pretend"  activity  blends  with  real  life,  con- 
tinues for  days,  and  results  from  no  suggestion  on  the 
part  of  adults  interested.  In  other  forms  of  such 
spontaneous  expression  children  work  together  in 
"make-believe"  play.  They  assign  themselves  roles, 
and,  putting  on  long  dresses  and  other  like  accessories, 
that  they  may  the  better  impersonate  their  character- 
izations, dramatize  familiar  stories  with  a  seriousness 
and  self-forgetfulness  that  is  an  unending  astonish- 
ment to  those  who  have  not  been  initiated  into  the 
wonders  worked  in  the  world  of  "let's  pretend." 

As  one  is  impressed  by  the  great  power  of  a  Niagara, 
so  is  the  teacher  impressed  by  the  irresistibleness  of  this 
"let's-pretend"  spirit.  It  is  the  most  potent  force  in 
the  pedagogical  world  of  the  little  child.  Scientifically 
controlled  it  makes  for  efficiency  in  education.  Hence 
a  study  of  the  methods  by  which  it  may  be  regulated 
for  educational  purposes  is  timely.  This  chapter  pur- 
poses such  a  discussion. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  85 

Inducing  Spontaneous  Speech  and  Action 

The  first  and  most  important  requisite  for  successful 
educational  dramatization  is  to  keep  action  and  speech 
coordinated  and  spontaneous.  Only  when  dramatic 
life  delineation  is  natural — undertaken  in  the  spirit  of 
all  "make-believe"  play — is  it  of  the  greatest  educa- 
tional value.  Little  or  no  benefit  is  derived  from 
memorizing  a  part  and  producing  it  under  direction 
which  forces  an  interpretation.  A  stilted,  unnatural 
theatrical  performance  results,  which  usually  works  in- 
jury to  the  player. 

Questions  and  suggestions. — The  enlightened 
leader  does  not  direct  with  stern  hand  and  set  rules. 
She  respects  the  inherent  nature  and  desires  of  the 
children  and  invites  their  initiative.  No  sooner  does 
she  hear  the  clink  of  the  cloven  hoof  of  the  ogre,  co- 
ercion, than  she  bars  the  door,  for  she  knows  that  just 
as  soon  as  he  enters  all  the  instincts  and  impulses 
which  have  been  serving  as  individual  tutors  will  scut- 
tle for  shelter  as  people  run  from  a  thunder  storm,  and 
that  nature's  schoolroom  will  be  turned  topsy-turvy. 
Instead  of  saying,  *'Do  this  way,"  or  ''Don't  do  that," 
she  stimulates  self-expression  and  engenders  enthusi- 
asm by  questions  and  suggestions. 

The  reaction  of  the  child  to  the  command,  "Ex- 
press joy"  is  altogether  different  from  that  evoked  by 
the  suggestion,  ''Your  mamma  has  been  away  for  a 
long,  long  time,  and  you  have  gone  down  to  the  train  to 
meet  her.  There,  now,  she  has  just  stepped  out  of  the 
car.    See,  her  arms  are  open  to  greet  you." 

Often  a  few  words  of  introduction  are  sufficient  to 
promote  whole-hearted  interest  and  spontaneity.     As 


86         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

an  example  of  this  point:  in  the  playing  of  a  certain 
farewell  scene  in  a  simple  dramatization,  one  little 
child  stood  indifferently  and  listlessly  by.  She  failed 
to  sense  the  situation.  When  a  suggestion  impressing 
the  import  of  the  occasion  was  offered,  her  attitude  was 
immediately  changed.  The  production  became  real  to 
her — so  real  that  she  actually  cried  when  she  waved 
farewell  the  evening  of  the  final  performance. 

The  child's  viewpoint  and  limitations  regarded. 
— For  successful  dramatization  a  sympathetic  appre- 
ciation of  the  child's  viewpoint  and  of  his  physical  and 
mental  limitations  is  necessary.  Affectation  and  lack 
of  spontaneity  always  characterize  a  production  beyond 
the  understanding  of  the  child  and  out  of  harmony 
with  his  interests.  A  boy  of  twelve  would  be  decidedly 
bored  if  cast  for  the  part  of  a  flower  in  a  pantomimic 
dramatization.  A  girl  of  sixteen  might  experience 
pleasure  in  interpreting  the  spirit  of  the  winds,  the 
waters,  or  the  forest ;  but  who  could  persuade  her  early 
adolescent  brother  to  take  such  a  part?  His  self-con- 
sciousness and  his  physical  limitations  unfit  him  for 
rhythmic  and  interpretative  movement.  It  is  equally 
distressing  for  the  child  in  the  imitative  period  who 
expresses  himself  by  large  bodily  movements  and  sim- 
ple vocal  mimicry  to  attempt  extended  dialogue  and 
aesthetic  group  movement. 

The  new,  likewise,  must  be  introduced  in  terms  of 
the  old  before  it  can  be  appreciated  and  made  a  part  of 
experience.  If  the  city  child  through  dramatization 
is  to  be  initiated  into  the  wonders  of  the  out-of-doors, 
he  must  be  led  gradually  into  his  new  knowledge.  A 
sudden  translation  will  confuse  and  bewilder  him  by  its 
strangeness.     Temperamental  differences  and  physical 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  ^'^ 

deformities  or  other  abnormalities  which  make  acting 
ludicrous  must  also  be  taken  into  account.  In  the  final 
analysis,  the  regulation  of  dramatic  activities  involves 
a  careful  study  of  the  individual  player.  The  director 
must  know  the  capabilities,  knowledge,  limitations,  and 
interests  of  his  personnel. 

The  spirit  of  the  director  important. — A  success- 
ful teacher  goes  hand  in  hand  with  her  children  into 
the  world  of  play.  She  cannot  awaken  interest  and 
stimulate  imagination  unless  she  herself  becomes  a  part 
of  the  dramatization.  If  she  is  cold  and  indifferent, 
the  children  under  her  direction,  likewise,  will  be  list- 
less and  play  in  a  half-hearted  way.  Her  mood  is 
catching,  and  her  attitude  is  reflected.  Enthusiasm  en- 
genders enthusiasm. 

A  question  put  to  child  players  may  elicit  a  dozen 
different  suggestions.  Some  of  them  will  be  apt; 
others  farfetched.  All  must  be  received  appreciatively, 
however,  and  the  teacher  must  eliminate  without  check- 
ing spontaneity  and  naturalness.  She  must  be  sym- 
pathetic and  must  sense  the  disposition  and  needs  of  the 
different  children.  Some  may  need  to  be  restrained 
to  a  certain  extent — never  snubbed.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  reticent  ones  must  be  encouraged.  Often  it 
is  wise  to  receive  a  suggestion  made  by  a  bashful  or 
backward  pupil,  even  though  it  needs  to  be  changed 
before  it  can  be  incorporated  in  the  general  plan  of  the 
production.  This  awakens  his  interest.  He  gains  con- 
fidence and  feels  that  he  has  made  a  contribution.  All 
children  in  a  dramatization  should  be  made  to  feel  this 
sense  of  personal  participation.  When  this  is  accom- 
plished, speech  and  action  spring  spontaneously,  and 
the  played  experience  assumes  reality. 


88         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

A  Written  Text  Not  Essential 

"Where  can  we  find  a  suitable  script?"  is  a  query 
often  made  by  those  unfamiliar  with  the  art  of  direct- 
ing children's  productions.  A  written  script  and  care- 
fully worded  dialogue  are  not  essentials;  in  fact,  the 
educational  method  seldom  encourages  memorizing  set 
speeches  and  parts.  It  relies  upon  the  initiative  and 
creative  ability  of  participants.  The  lines  of  the  pro- 
duction are  those  of  the  child,  an  expression  of  his  life; 
and  the  action  is  that  prompted  by  the  dramatic  situa- 
tion as  conceived  by  the  players. 

Dramatic  imitation. — In  the  kindergarten  and 
primary  period  mimicry  assumes  an  important  func- 
tion. The  child  at  this  age,  of  his  own  accord,  imitates 
such  movements  of  nature  as  the  scampering  of 
autumn  leaves  and  the  singing  of  the  winds.  He 
likes  to  pretend  that  he  is  a  dog,  a  horse,  or  even  an 
engine.  He  also  likes  to  reproduce  such  noises  as  the 
who-o-o-o  of  the  wind  and  the  rhythmic  tick-tock  of 
the  big  clock.  He  needs  no  written  script  to  en- 
able him  to  play  his  roles.  He  may  be  his  own  play- 
wright and  make  up  his  plays  as  he  goes  along. 

Often  a  "lesson  thought"  in  the  class  of  the  church 
school  may  be  dramatized.  Then  the  simple  drama- 
tization may  be  almost  entirely  the  product  of  the  child 
mind.  The  teacher  furnishes  the  outline  and  suggests 
action.  The  children  in  the  spirit  of  play  interpret  the 
parts.  Suppose  the  lesson  tells  of  God's  love  for  the 
flowers.  The  following  sketch  reveals  the  possibilities 
of  such  expression : 

"I  just  wonder  how  the  flowers  would  go  to  sleep 
in  the  autumn  ?    How  would  they  look  ?    Do  you  sup- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  89 

pose  they  would  rest  their  heads  on  the  ground?  And 
would  they  shut  their  eyes  up  tight?  Yes,  I  expect 
so." 

"And  then  God  would  send  the  snowflakes,  and  they 
would  enter  just  as  quietly  as  could  be.  No,  they 
wouldn't  make  a  bit  of  noise.  They  would  trip  in,  oh, 
so  quietly — just  as  quietly  as  mother  comes  in  baby's 
room  when  he  is  asleep.  Yes,  and  they  would  cover 
the  sleeping  flowers  with  a  great  white  blanket." 

"Why,  yes,  we  can  play  it.  But  we  will  have  to  have 
some  one  for  the  flowers  and  some  one  for  the  snow- 
flakes.  Emma,  which  would  you  like  to  be?  All  right, 
you  can  be  one  of  the  flowers.  Yes,  you  can  be  one  of 
the  flowers  too,  Olive;  and  you  too,  Norma.  No,  no 
we  cannot  all  be  flowers.  Some  of  us  must  be  snow- 
flakes.     Suppose  we  begin." 

"First  the  flowers  will  come  in.  No,  the  snowflakes 
must  not  enter  yet.  They  must  wait  until  the  flowers 
are  sound  asleep  in  their  leafy  beds.  Yes,  the  flowers 
are  wide  awake  at  first,  and  then  they  go  to  sleep  one 
at  a  time.   .    .   ." 

Common  incidents  dramatized. — Common  inci- 
dents in  daily  life  may  be  reproduced  in  classroom  and 
home.  The  children  of  Teachers  College  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Columbia  have  constructed  a  play  town  in 
which  all  the  activities  common  to  a  town  are  drama- 
tized. Goods  are  bought  and  sold  over  improvised 
counters.  Cooking  is  done  after  the  approved  methods 
of  the  village.  Social  calls  are  made,  and  courtesies 
are  extended.  Of  course  such  dramatization  does  not 
call  for  a  written  script. 

Many  social  settlements  teach  health  principles,  acci- 
dent prevention,  home  economics,  and  etiquette  through 


90         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

play  activities.  What  better  method  for  teaching  acci- 
dent prevention  than  the  following:  "Suppose  we  see 
whether  we  know  how  to  cross  the  street.  Now,  re- 
member there  are  autos  and  trucks  and  delivery 
wagons.  All  right,  Mary,  we  will  let  you  try  it  first/' 
(The  child  dramatizes  the  way  she  would  cross.) 
"Did  she  do  it  right?  What  did  she  forget?  Yes, 
she  didn't  look  up  and  down  the  street  before  she 
started.  That  is  right,  she  kept  her  head  down.  A 
driver  of  a  car  might  not  see  her  at  all,  and  she 
might  not  hear  the  noise  of  his  approach.  Does  some 
one  else  want  to  try  it?  I  am  sure  that  we  can  learn 
how  after  a  few  trials.  .  .  ."  The  representation 
may  be  played  over  and  over  again  until  all  of  the 
children  are  taught  the  proper  method. 

Impromptu  reproductions. — A  few  days  ago  the 
writer  observed  one  of  the  little  girls  of  his  parish 
passing  down  the  street,  dead  to  the  world.  Her  lips 
were  moving  and  she  was  making  quick  gestures  with 
her  hands.  At  the  sound  of  her  name  she  awoke  with 
a  start.  Questions  disclosed  she  was  living  over 
Charlie  Chaplin's  photo  play,  "The  Kid."  The 
query,  "Why  the  gestures,  Emma?"  elicited  the  re- 
sponse, "I  was  just  pretending  I  was  putting  the  baby 
in  another  place."  The  incident  was  nothing  unusual. 
Nearly  every  child  with  an  active  imagination  lives 
over  dramatic  scenes  he  has  witnessed.  Often  he  acts 
them  out  with  the  assistance  of  others. 

This  desire  to  reproduce  dramatic  scenes  and  inci- 
dents may  be  exercised  for  educational  profit.  It  al- 
ready has  been  put  to  use  by  certain  dramatic  directors. 
Primary  children  in  the  Ethical  Culture  School  in 
New  York  city,  at  their  own  request,  re-acted  a  heavy 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  91 

play  produced  by  older  pupils  for  an  assembly  exer- 
cise. It  was  first  produced  in  the  classroom  and  then 
later  given  before  the  whole  school.  Emma  Sheridan 
Fry,  in  Educational  Dramatics,  recounts  the  follow- 
ing impromptu  dramatic  performance  played  at  the 
Educational  Alliance  on  the  East  Side  in  New  York 
city. 

"Miss  Jesse  McKinley,  one  of  our  most  charming 
and  capable  class  members,  told  the  story,  with  happy 
gayety,  explaining  that  it  would  thereafter  be  *done,' 
first  by  the  children  who  had  practiced  it  some,  and 
then  that  the  children  in  the  audience  might  come  up 
and  do  it." 

"The  story  played  with  gusto!  The  audience  was 
breathless.  No  scenery,  no  costumes!  Triumphantly 
the  law  proved  itself.  A  performance  that  fully  profits 
the  player  never  fails  to  interest  the  audience." 

"Thereafter,  the  stage,  across  which  no  curtain  was 
drawn,  was  put  at  the  disposal  of  the  audience  chil- 
dren. Cast  after  cast,  assigned  haphazard,  mounted 
the  platform,  and  'did'  the  story  with  the  greatest  ease, 
unction,  and  delight.  The  verities  of  the  situation  reg- 
ulated speech  and  movement.  Real  life  processes  re- 
sulted, and  a  corresponding  dramatic  illusion  invested 
the  whole.    No  two  casts  played  alike." 

Story  pl4ys.«— A  well-told  story  is  sufficient  to 
prompt  dramatic  activity.  Especially  is  this  so  among 
the  Latin  races,  and  among  such  dreamers  as  the  peo- 
ple of  India.  Indian  children  no  sooner  hear  a  story 
told  than  they  "  act  it  out."  Chinese  children,  of  their 
own  accord,  reproduce  Bible  stories  taught  in  Sunday 
schools.  The  sacred  festivals  in  the  mission  churches 
are  usually  celebrated  by  dramatization.    The  urge  for 


92         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

dramatic  expression  is  almost  as  pronounced  among 
pupils  of  our  day  schools  who  have  been  **acting  out" 
stories  in  the  classroom.  They  do  not  need  to  be  urged 
to  participate.  They  have  an  inherent  desire  for  im- 
aginative living  and  story-playing  satisfies  the  inner 
urge. 

In  story-playing  it  is  customary  to  tell  the  story  to 
the  children,  emphasizing  certain  features.  Drama- 
tization then  follows.  At  first  the  production  may  seem 
crude,  and  some  of  the  pupils,  especially  the  inexpe- 
rienced, may  appear  self-conscious.  Questions  and  sug- 
gestions, however,  will  lead  them  to  a  clearer  under- 
standing of  their  parts.  The  play  is  "worked  up"  by 
going  over  it  time  and  time  again.  New  material  may 
be  incorporated  into  the  dialogue  and  new  action  added 
at  each  reworking.  Cuttings  also  may  be  made.  By 
this  process  of  elimination,  play  analysis  and  synthesis, 
a  story  may  be  produced  which  represents  the  highest 
creative  effort  of  all  the  child  players. 

Spontaneity  characterizes  the  performance  when  it 
has  reached  this  stage.  As  there  are  no  ''lines"  to 
learn,  there  is  no  danger  of  stagey  delivery.  As  no 
set  action  is  rehearsed,  there  can  be  no  stiffness  or 
practiced  gesturing.  The  children  do  not  realize  them- 
selves as  ''doing  a  play."  They  frolic  through  the 
story  in  a  delighted  ex^pression  of  their  own  ideas  of 
it.  Even  on  the  final  performance  many  changes  may 
be  made.  If  there  be  an  audience,  the  player  cares 
not.  Indeed,  player  and  audience  may  be  interchange- 
able. 

Original  productions. — Often  children  are  able  to 
write  or  plan  suitable  productions.  The  scholars  at 
some  of  the  vacation  schools  have  added  new  scenes  to 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  93 

familiar  stories.  One  dramatization  witnessed  by  the 
writer  portrayed  the  purchasing  of  the  material  for 
Red  Riding  Hood's  cloak.  Miss  Alice  Paine,  the 
teacher  of  such  a  school,  cites  one  instance  of  a  little 
girl,  who  with  the  assistance  of  an  older  person  on  the 
costuming,  wrote  and  directed  a  play  at  Lake  Placid 
during  her  vacation  period.  Foreign  children  near  the 
Campbell  Neighborhood  House  in  Gary,  Indiana,  on 
their  own  initiative  produced  a  festival  in  the  street 
before  hundreds  of  fathers  and  mothers. 

Greenwich  Settlement,  New  York  city,  harnesses  the 
dramatic  instinct  in  its  educational  program.  It  is 
made  the  basic  activity.  The  desire  for  dramatic  ac- 
tivity provokes  creative  effort  in  music,  painting, 
rhythmic  movement,  costuming,  lighting,  and  writing. 
The  need  for  appropriate  music  stimulates  research  and 
often  prompts  players  to  compose  suitable  selections. 
^'Lines''  also  are  written  under  such  demands,  scenery 
painted,  and  ''stage  business"  determined.  Quite  elabo- 
rate dramas  have  been  written  and  staged  by  these 
children  with  little  outside  assistance. 


Prologues^  Preludes,,  and  Interpolations 

Children's  dramas  are  seldom  complete  in  them- 
selves. Unlike  the  plays  of  the  professional  stage, 
special  information  of  an  introductory  nature  must 
often  be  given  before  the  drama  proper  can  be  appre- 
ciated. This  is  usually  accomplished  by  means  of  pre- 
lude, prologue,  and  interpolation. 

Prologues.  — Prologues,  which  in  Grecian  and 
Elizabethan  dramas  assumed  such  important  roles, 
have  again  returned  and  are  frequently  called  into  ac- 


94         iPAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

tivity.  Educational  Dramatics  features  them,  not  for 
the  sake  of  their  quaintness  but  as  integral  parts  of 
the  performance. 

With  children's  productions,  which  often  portray  in- 
cidents and  scenes  rather  than  fully  developed  plots 
and  themes,  a  prologue  is  essential,  especially,  if  there 
is  an  audience.  A  knowledge  of  what  has  gone  on 
before  or  what  has  been  left  out  must  be  imparted  in 
some  manner.  Absence  of  special  accessories,  such  as 
costumes  and  properties,  complicates  the  situation. 
This  question  presents  itself :  "How  may  we  play  this 
little  incident  without  dramatic  aids  in  such  a  way  that 
both  players  and  audience  will  be  led  into  an  under- 
standing of  the  motif  and  an  appreciation  of  its  sig- 
nificance?" 

Sometimes  with  smaller  children  it  may  be  necessary 
for  the  director  by  a  few  introductory  remarks  to  pre- 
pare proper  mental  backgrounds  for  presentation.  A 
distinct  advantage  obtains  with  older  children,  how- 
ever, if  they  are  allowed  to  do  the  necessary  research 
work  to  familiarize  themselves  with  the  facts  and  then 
make  the  introduction  themselves.  This  research  may 
be  given  to  several  players  so  that  it  may  not  be  bur- 
densome. One  child  may  study  the  costumes  of  the 
particular  people  under  consideration;  another  the 
natural  setting  of  the  play;  a  third  the  peculiar  cus- 
toms, modes  of  greeting,  etc. ;  another  the  whole  story 
of  which  the  dramatization  may  be  a  part.  The  in- 
formation gained  may  be  written  out  and  read  if  the 
players  desire.  It  is  usually  much  better,  however,  to 
encourage  extempore  speaking. 

As  previously  stated,  in  story-playing  it  is  custom- 
ary to  tell  the  story  before  dramatization.    In  the  initial 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  95 

stages  of  production  the  director  usually  assumes  this 
responsibility.  It  is  well,  however,  to  give  this  role  to 
the  players  after  they  have  begun  to  enter  spontane- 
ously into  the  spirit  of  the  production.  Different  ones 
in  turn  may  be  assigned  to  this  part.  The  knowledge 
that  such  a  privilege  is  to  be  theirs  awakens  an  in- 
creased interest  in  the  dramatization,  and  gathers  into  a 
whole  the  separate  scenes  and  incidents. 

Musical  preludes. — A  distinct  value  attaches  to  the 
musical  prelude.  It  has  an  important  place  in  chil- 
dren's dramatizations.  Of  course  it  is  not  expected 
that  large  orchestras  or  choruses  of  trained  singers 
can  be  obtained.  Such  is  not  desired.  It  would  be  out 
of  harmony  with  the  simplicity  and  unpretentiousness 
which  characterizes  the  spontaneous  dramatizations  of 
schoolroom  and  home.  Other  agencies  may  be  re- 
quisitioned, however. 

An  appropriate  piano  number  may  strengthen  the 
dramatic  force  of  an  incident,  or  it  may  through  the 
principle  of  association  create  atmosphere  and  suggest 
desired  moods.  Children  respond  very  readily  to 
music,  as  has  been  demonstrated  in  the  church  school. 
Some  "little  tots"  are  so  sensitive  that  even  in  baby- 
hood their  reaction  to  different  types  of  music  is  quite 
noticeable. 

Quite  often  in  a  dramatic  program  of  a  festival  na- 
ture choral  singing  may  assume  an  important  part. 
An  appropriate  song  as  an  introduction  serves  as  a 
unifier.  It  makes  the  audience  feel  a  part  of  the  per- 
formance. The  individual  not  only  loses  himself  in 
the  joy  of  personal  expression,  but  also  in  the  fellow- 
ship of  song.  Self -consciousness  is  forgotten  in  the 
pleasure  of  a  common  interest,  and  an  attitude  of  com- 


96         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

panionship  is  established  at  the  outset  between  player 
and  audience. 

Interpolations. — Interpolations  serve  much  the 
same  purpose  as  preludes  and  prologues.  They  add 
color,  create  atmosphere,  and  advance  the  motif  of 
the  play  through  suggestion  and  explanation.  Stage 
limitations  may  prevent  the  bringing  in  of  certain  inci- 
dents of  vital  importance.  Frequently  the  child's  in- 
ability to  grasp  the  historic  background  or  to  get  the 
historic  perspective  makes  it  difficult  to  act  some 
scenes.  Eliminations  are  necessary.  Again,  length  or 
unsuitability  of  certain  scenes  may  demand  cuttings. 
Often  an  interpolation — a  few  words  of  explanation  or 
music — is  sufficient  to  bridge  such  gaps. 

The  function  of  these  interpolations  is  similar  to  that 
played  by  many  of  the  interludes  given  between  the 
acts  of  the  early  miracle  and  morality  plays.  They  are 
unlike  the  interludes,  however,  in  that  they  do  not  con- 
fine themselves  to  ''between-the-act"  assistance.  They 
defy  stage  tradition  and  appear  unceremoniously  in  un- 
expected places. 

The  freedom  from  set  and  formal  ideas  of  text  and 
production  makes  Educational  Dramatics  quite  friendly 
to  this  new  aid  which  has  been  called  into  service. 
Dramatic  cast  reading,  described  in  a  later  chapter,  in 
all  probability  employs  it  to  a  far  greater  extent  than 
any  other  dramatic  form. 

Introductions  of  players. — When  players  known  to 
the  child  audience  are  to  appear  in  character  costumes, 
a  pretty  form  of  prologue  groups  the  players  on  the 
stage  before  the  beginning  of  the  play.  Each  player 
may  in  a  little  introductory  speech  make  himself 
known  in  character.     Or  a  player  representing  pro- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  97 

logue  may  do  the  introducing.  Such  device  bridges  the 
way  to  dramatic  illusion,  and  accustoms  the  audience 
to  accept  its  playmates  in  unusual  guise. 

Aids  to  Dramatic  Illusion 

Free  dramatic  play  does  not  require  a  host  of  scene 
shifters,  property  men,  and  stage  artists.  Nature  fur- 
nishes the  assistants.  Imagination  designs  the  cos- 
tumes. Oh  no,  the  adult  doesn't  see  them.  To  him  a 
bridal  veil  is  just  a  piece  of  cheese  cloth  draped  over 
the  head  of  a  little  girl,  and  such  things  as  gHmmering 
fairylike  garments  are  common  school  clothes;  and 
Prince  Charming  is  nothing  but  a  barefoot  boy  with  a 
wooden  sword.  But  then  he  doesn't  know.  Age  has 
blinded  him.  He  thinks  he  sees,  but  having  eyes,  he 
sees  not. 

Suggestion,  another  of  nature's  assistants,  does  truly 
wonderful  things  with  just  a  few  properties.  She 
hangs  up  a  Japanese  lantern  and  all  the  people,  as  if 
by  magic,  are  clothed  in  elegant  silk  costumes,  and 
one  can  catch  the  fragrance  of  flowers  and  hear  the 
tinkling  of  pagoda  bells.  The  spirit  of  exuberance 
makes  a  dead  past  speak,  resurrects  heroes,  knights, 
poets,  and  martyrs,  and  allows  them  to  perform  once 
again  the  deeds  which  placed  them  among  the  immor- 
tals. 

Costumes. — In  costuming  children's  productions  it 
is  well  to  keep  everything  simple.  The  queen  need  wear 
no  more  elaborate  gown  than  the  servants.  Some 
simple  article  of  wearing  apparel  suggesting  royalty — 
a  gilded  cardboard  crown,  or  a  piece  of  rolled  paper 
held  as  a  scepter  may  be  sufficient  to  distinguish  her 
from  the  other  characters. 


98         PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

Odds  and  ends  of  cloth,  crepe  paper,  and  other  Hke 
material  may  be  cut,  folded,  or  tucked  and  utilized  in 
any  number  of  ways  in  getting  costume  effects.  House 
dresses,  hats,  and  window  curtains,  available  in  any 
home,  may  be  called  into  service  to  induce  dramatic 
illusion.  A  hooded  raincoat  makes  an  acceptable  gar- 
ment for  a  Red  Riding  Hood.  A  blanket  or  shawl 
thrown  over  the  head  of  a  little  girl  at  once  suggests 
Indian,  a  cardboard  helmet  covered  with  tin  foil  trans- 
lates a  boy  into  the  world  of  play  as  a  soldier,  and  a 
bit  of  white  mosquito  netting  draped  properly  serves  as 
a  bridal  veil. 

The  teacher  of  imagination  uses  costume  material  at 
hand.  Who  would  ever  think  of  wrapping  a  child  in 
bath  towels  that  it  might  represent  a  white  bear  ?  Mar- 
garet Eggleston,  in  The  Use  of  the  Story  in  Religious 
Education,  describes  a  dramatization  where  this  was 
done,  and  done  effectively.  Miss  Edland  once  needed 
a  savage  chief  in  one  of  her  Livingstone  stories.  She 
did  not  want  to  black  a  boy  up.  Finally  a  big  feather 
pompom  was  found.  That  was  sufficient  for  the  part. 
Louise  Burleigh  tells  of  a  play  in  which  an  apron  was 
used  in  five  different  scenes.  Once  it  served  its  real 
purpose.  Then  it  was  in  turn — a  butcher's  apron,  a 
court  train,  a  dress  for  a  doll,  and  finally  a  wimple  and 
coif  for  a  girl  entering  a  convent. 

Properties.  — The  same  general  rules  of  simplicity 
and  substitution,  that  apply  to  costumes,  obtain  with 
properties.  Dramatic  illusion  does  not  suffer  when 
makeshifts  are  employed.  The  ready  imagination  of 
the  child  accepts  substitutes  which  to  the  adult  may 
seem  crude.  Crudity  does  not  bother  the  little  young- 
ster.   He  overlooks  such  a  thing.     The  interest  awak- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  99 

ened  in  what  the  object  seems  to  him  triumphs  over 
actuaHty.  The  crude  gives  his  imagination  full  play. 
The  perfect  in  detail  hampers  his  creative  efforts  and 
demands  conformity.  Invariably  he  will  choose  the 
former.  Mrs.  Mary  Lowe  states  that  in  certain  ''bot- 
tle-doll" performances  staged  for  experimental  pur- 
poses a  small  house  was  needed.  The  children  were 
given  the  choice  of  two — one  hastily  constructed  out 
of  cardboard,  and  one  painted,  and  carefully  made  by 
a  carpenter.  Always  the  crudely  constructed  one  was 
chosen. 

Crowns,  spears,  reaping  sickles,  stars,  crescents,  and 
what  not  may  be  cut  from  cardboard.  Hockey  clubs 
lengthened  and  wrapped  serve  as  shepherds'  crooks. 
A  curtain  thrown  over  an  elevated  highbacked  chair 
will  make  this  easily  secured  property  do  for  a  throne. 
A  few  branches  cut  from  trees  suggest  the  out-of- 
doors.  A  piece  of  burlap  tucked  around  a  footstool 
gives  it  the  appearance  of  a  stone.  Fireplaces  may  be 
constructed  of  boxes  covered  with  red  paper. 

Those  interested  in  proper  accessories  for  Bible 
plays  will  do  well  to  study  The  Dramatization  of  Bible 
Stories,  by  Elizabeth  Erwin  Miller.  Certain  chap- 
ters of  this  book  go  into  a  detailed  description  of 
Oriental  costumes  and  properties  and  discuss  methods 
by  which  they  may  be  made.  Miss  Miller  feels  that  a 
distinct  advantage  obtains  in  certain  types  of  biblical 
drama  through  adherence  to  historical  accuracy.  As 
a  result  she  has  stimulated  research,  and  by  counsel 
and  suggestion,  assisted  her  child  players  to  make  their 
own  costumes,  properties,  and  stage-sets. 

Stage-settings. — Stage-sets  for  children  should  be 
characterized  by  simplicity  and  suggestiveness.     Elab- 


loo        PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

orate,  ornate,  and  "cluttered  scenery"  confuses  and  de- 
feats the  purpose  for  which  it  is  supphed.  In  many 
classroom  dramatizations  stage-settings  may  be  dis- 
pensed with  altogether  with  no  serious  loss.  Children 
can  imagine  desired  situations.  They  do  it  in  their 
own  "make  believe"  play.  Often,  however,  even  where 
the  schoolroom  becomes  stage,  a  few  simple  properties 
and  hangings  may  aid  in  creating  dramatic  illusion. 
Appropriate  colored  pictures  drawn  on  blackboards  are 
helpful,  as  are  also  pictures,  "cut-outs,"  and  festoons 
of  leaves  pinned  to  the  walls. 

At  times,  curtains,  draperies,  and  Japanese  screens 
may  be  employed  to  good  advantage.  In  home  produc- 
tions, sliding  doors  or  portieres  may  serve  in  place  of 
drop  curtains  and  enable  players  to  make  simple 
changes  in  costumes  and  stage-settings. 

Grease  paints. — At  first  thought  it  may  appear  to 
many  people  that  grease  paints  have  no  place  in  chil- 
dren's productions.  Paint  and  professionalism  seem 
inseparable.  Such  is  not  the  case,  however.  There  is 
no  greater,  cheaper,  or  simpler  aid  for  creating  dra- 
matic illusion  than  a  little  bit  of  color.  A  trial  will  con- 
vince the  most  skeptical. 

Books  for  Reference 

Percival  Chubb  and  Associates,  Festivals  and  Plays. 

Constance  D'Arcy  Mackay,  How  to  Produce  Chil- 
dren's Plays. 

Emma  Sheridan  Fry,  Educational  Dramatics. 

Elizabeth  Erwin  Miller,  The  Dramatisation  of  Bible 
Stories. 

Mae  Stein  Soble,  Bible  Plays  for  Children. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  loi 

Hilliard-McCormick-Ogleby,  Amateur  and  Educa- 
tional Dramatics. 

Norman  E.  Richardson,  editor,  The  Dramatic  In- 
stinct in  Children  J  Dramatics  in  the  Home,  Story- 
Telling  in  the  Home,  The  Use  of  Dolls  in  Child- 
Training. 


102        PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

CHAPTER  VII 
A  MEANS  OF  TEACHING 

In  the  use  of  play  motives  and  activities  in  educa- 
tion there  are  two  dangers.  Some  teachers  in  endeav- 
oring to  employ  them  for  educative  purposes  overdo 
the  thing  by  too  much  directing.  Through  tiring  the 
child  and  killing  all  enthusiasm  and  spontaneity  play 
becomes  drudgery.  The  more  it  is  forced  and  unnat- 
ural, the  more  its  pedagogical  value  is  lessened. 
Others,  enthusiastic  in  the  discovery  of  these  divinely 
implanted  interests  and  motives,  feel  that  all  that  is 
necessary  on  their  part  is  to  furnish  the  proper  mental 
and  physical  background  and  ''let  the  child  go  to  it." 
They  work  on  the  assumption  that  direction  of  play 
activities  is  not  necessary — that  the  instincts  and  im- 
pulses are  self-sufficient. 

It  is  true  that  the  spontaneous  play  activities  of 
animals  do  fit  them  directly  for  future  life.  Among 
savage  peoples,  where  the  wants  are  few,  the  same 
may  hold  true;  but  in  our  complex  civilization  with 
its  many  demands  on  the  individual,  outside  direction 
must  be  provided.  One  learns  by  doing.  There  is 
no  denying  that.  But  one  may  learn  to  be  either 
an  enemy  of  society  or  a  desirable  citizen.  For  in- 
stance the  instinctive  desire  to  be  pugnacious  asserts 
itself  in  every  normal  boy.  Given  the  proper  expres- 
sion this  impulse  will  be  that  which  prompts  him  to 
champion  the  cause  of  the  weak  and  to  fight  injustice 
and  deceit.    Given  the  wrong  expression,  it  makes  him 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  103 

an  outlaw — the  cave  man  motivated  by  self -centered 
impulses.  Breaking  car  windows  is  unsupervised 
base-ball. 

The  task  of  the  teacher  is  to  supervise,  to  guide  the 
child's  expressional  activities.  Play  is  purposive,  but 
the  child  in  his  play  must  be  helped  to  find  and  pursue 
wholesome  purposes.  Through  play  he  can  discover 
the  joy  of  noble  incentive,  faithfully  followed.  As  the 
tree  takes  from  the  ground  elements  necessary  for  its 
growth,  so  may  the  child  in  his  play  life  gain  knowl- 
edge and  dispositions  which  will  fit  him  for  life.  These 
values  must  be  placed  within  his  reach,  however.  The 
farmer  studies  his  plants,  learns  what  they  need,  and 
if  necessary,  supplies  certain  acids  and  limes.  The 
successful  teacher  watches  the  child,  and  likewise,  fur- 
nishes the  proper  mental  and  social  stimuli  for  growth. 

The  question  now  before  us  is.  What  are  the  dra- 
matic means  by  which  the  goals  of  religious  education 
may  be  attained  ?  That  question  can  best  be  answered 
by  giving  examples  and  descriptions  of  successful  dra- 
matizations together  with  suggestions  for  dramatic 
projects. 

Educational  Dramatics  Imparts  Useful 
Knowledge 

The  impartation  of  useful  knowledge  is  one  of  the 
aims  of  education.  Dramatic  method  is  able  to  accom- 
plish this  end.  Biblical  geography  and  biography,  so- 
cial and  religious  truths,  health  and  hygiene  all  may  be 
taught  through  dramatic  production. 

Teaching  biblical  geography. — Facts  concerning 
climate,  customs,  locations  of  cities,  rivers,  and  plains; 
distances  and  means  of  communication,  all  may  be  in- 


104       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

terwoven  into  dramatic  productions.  For  instance,  a 
replica  of  a  relief  map  of  Bible  lands  may  be  worked 
out  on  a  large  scale  in  some  vacant  lot.  A  load  or  two 
of  sand  and  gravel  would  assist  materially.  They  are 
not  at  all  essential,  however.  Mountains  may  be 
formed ;  a  proper  slope  given  the  land ;  wells,  seas,  and 
lakes  represented;  and  all  other  natural  features,  such 
as  roadways,  springs,  pools,  and  gardens,  duplicated. 
Houses,  temples,  tents,  trees,  boats,  chariots,  and  other 
properties  may  be  added  as  needed.  With  older  chil- 
dren historic  accuracy  should  be  adhered  to  as  nearly 
as  possible.  One  of  the  advantages  of  the  project  is 
that  it  stimulates  careful  research,  study,  and  observa- 
tion. 

Perhaps  a  few  suggestions  in  regard  to  details  may 
prove  helpful.  If  a  hydrant  and  hose  are  near  at  hand, 
water  can  be  made  to  run  in  river  courses.  A  little  bit 
of  cement  will  keep  the  water  within  the  banks.  A 
lake  bed  may  also  be  made  of  the  same  material.  An 
old  wash  boiler,  bent  into  the  desired  shape,  sunk  in 
the  ground  and  partly  filled  with  dirt  and  gravel  does 
equally  as  well  unless  it  is  too  small  for  the  scale  of  the 
reproduction.  Twigs  may  be  placed  along  the  streams 
and  roads  to  represent  trees.  Highways  may  be  con- 
structed by  patting  the  earth  down  until  it  is  quite  level. 
Rocks  and  small  stones  placed  in  suitable  places  add 
natural  color  and  serve  as  admirable  hiding  places  for 
robbers  and  thieves. 

A  study  of  the  wanderings  of  the  Hebrew  people 
and  their  subsequent  entrance  into  Canaan  would  bring 
out  many  points  of  geographical  significance,  as  would 
also  the  missionary  journeys  of  Paul.  Many  of  the 
main  incidents  of  biblical  history  could  be  dramatized 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  105 

by  the  use  of  ''cut-outs,"  such  as  toy  personages, 
camels,  donkeys,  sheep,  and  cattle.  These  ''cut-outs" 
can  be  made  of  wood,  cardboard,  or  even  of  stiff  paper. 
Children  enjoy  making  these  necessary  properties  and 
accessories.  Yes,  boys  will  "take  hold"  of  such  hand- 
work. In  recent  dramatizations  attempted  by  the 
writer  nine-year-old  boys  manifested  more  interest  and 
showed  more  creative  ability  in  designing  costumes, 
making  properties,  and  arranging  stage-sets  than  did 
the  girls  of  the  same  age. 

Teaching  Bible  history. — Any  method  which  will 
familiarize  the  people  of  America  with  the  Bible — 
make  the  heroes  of  Israel  stand  out  as  living  personali- 
ties— may  be  considered  of  special  value;  for  to  the 
average  individual  the  Book  of  books  lacks  living 
quality.  It  should  not  be  a  forgotten  record  of  an 
idealized  past,  but,  rather,  the  resounding  clarion  call 
to  nobility  of  life  and  to  immediate  service. 

The  drama  will  make  it  a  living  book,  one  which  will 
challenge  the  attention  of  young  and  old.  Suppose 
the  story  of  David  and  Goliath — a  favorite  with  boys 
in  the  Junior  age — were  to  be  "acted  out."  Immedi- 
ately a  point  of  contact  is  made  with  the  Scriptures. 
The  story  must  be  told  or  read  in  the  process  of  anal- 
ysis. In  finding  out  what  type  of  character  each  per- 
son is,  how  he  would  dress,  what  he  would  carry,  how 
he  would  act,  and  what  he  would  say,  repeated  refer- 
ence must  of  necessity  be  made  to  the  particular  pas- 
sage from  which  the  story  is  taken,  and  also  to  others 
which  have  direct  bearing  on  the  subject.  The  pro- 
duction becomes  a  problem — a  center  of  interest;  and 
although  it  may  be  crude  as  presented  at  first,  it  gradu- 
ally becomes  a  more  finished  production  and  under 


lo6       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

proper  direction  will  teach  a  message  which  will  influ- 
ence future  life. 

Missionaries  have  employed  the  dramatic  method  of 
teaching  religion  to  a  people  who  are  unable  to  read 
the  gospel.  Perhaps  it  would  be  better  to  say  they  have 
directed  the  dramatic  activities  for  purposeful  ends, 
for  the  dramatic  instinct  is  inherent  among  all  peoples. 
One  Eurasian  Bible  woman  in  Burma  goes  from  place 
to  place  improvising  songs  based  on  Scripture  stories, 
and  by  the  use  of  symbolism  and  dramatic  action  con- 
veys to  her  people,  who  are  for  the  most  part  unlet- 
tered, a  knowledge  of  sacred  truth.  One  of  her  favor- 
ite stories  is  "The  Lost  Coin,"  and  her  method  of 
presentation  is  much  like  that  used  in  story  festivals 
which  have  become  quite  popular  in  certain  sections  of 
our  country. 

Even  the  professional  theater  has  taught  much  Bible 
to  America's  great  unchurched  masses,  as  evidenced  by 
the  recent  production  in  New  York  city — on  Broadway 
— of  the  Book  of  Job,  by  Stewart  Walker,  an  almost 
literal  production  of  biblical  script.  The  Drama  of 
Isaiah  has  also  been  successfully  staged,  as  have  many 
more  productions  of  a  religious  or  semireligious  na- 
ture. The  ''Wayfarer  Pageant,"  the  lines  of  which  are 
almost  altogether  biblical,  was  shown  for  a  month  in 
the  Madison  Square  Garden.  At  many  of  the  per- 
formances the  auditorium,  which  seats  over  five  thou- 
sand people,  was  not  large  enough  to  accommodate  all 
those  seeking  admission. 

Interpreting  social  and  moral  ideals. — Jesus  taught 
largely  through  parables,  figures  of  speech,  and  sym- 
boHc  language.  It  was  a  common  means  of  interpret- 
ing truth  in  his  day.     The  following  excerpt  from  a 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  107 

letter  written  by  L.  E.  Linzell,  a  missionary  of  India, 
shows  the  practical  use  to  which  this  method  of  expres- 
sion may  be  put  today  in  presenting  moral  and  social 
questions.  It  explains  in  a  far  more  understandable 
way  the  significance  of  the  story  of  the  Good  Samari- 
tan than  could  an  abstract  presentation: 

"Recently  I  was  invited  by  the  Epworth  League  of 
Baroda  to  a  social  event  which  was  to  be  held  on  the 
Mission  Compound.  On  my  arrival  I  found  that  a 
great  company  had  already  assembled.  Facing  the 
company  a  large  square  had  been  marked  off  by  bam- 
boo poles,  about  fifteen  feet  apart,  with  festoons  of 
Asoka  leaves  draped  from  pole  to  pole.  I  soon  saw 
that  we  were  to  be  favored  with  an  interpretation,  from 
an  Oriental  standpoint,  of  one  of  the  parables  of  our 
Lord. 

"The  event  opened  by  a  young  man  dressed  as  a 
well-to-do  merchant  with  a  pack  on  his  back,  advanc- 
ing down  the  country  road.  The  merchant  seemed 
somewhat  footworn  and  decidedly  ill  at  ease;  for  he 
frequently  cast  glances  from  side  to  side.  At  a  turn 
in  the  road  six  thieves  pounced  upon  him,  stripped  him 
of  his  valuables,  beat  him  with  clubs,  and  leaving  him 
half  dead,  made  off  with  their  booty. 

"Very  soon  along  came  a  Brahman  of  the  priestly 
class.  As  soon  as  he  saw  the  unfortunate  man  he  made 
for  the  opposite  side  of  the  road.  Next  a  high-caste 
merchant  came  around  the  bend,  and  after  stooping 
over  and  looking  at  the  man  said  'Not  in  my  caste,' 
and  hurried  on.  Next  was  seen  a  trader  riding  along 
the  road  on  a  donkey.  As  soon  as  he  saw  the  dying 
man  he  leaped  to  the  ground  and  hurried  to  where  he 
was.      After   turning   the   poor    fellow    over   to   see 


io8        PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

whether  he  Hved,  he  tore  a  strip  off  from  his  own  tur- 
ban and  bound  up  the  wounds.  From  his  own  water 
vessel  he  gave  the  wounded  man  a  drink  of  cold  water 
and  then  with  difficulty  lifted  him  on  the  donkey  and 
carefully  carried  him  to  the  next  village  where  he  was 
taken  to  the  rest  house  and  cared  for. 

"The  whole  parable  was  so  well  interpreted  that  it 
meant  more  to  all  of  us  than  ever  before.  After  re- 
freshments we  went  home  feeling  the  lessons  of  the 
Holy  Book  are  particularly  adapted  to  the  Indian 
mind." 

Teaching  biography, — Would  you  teach  your  chil- 
dren facts  about  the  life  of  Martin  Luther,  John  Knox, 
or  any  of  the  other  great  leaders  of  the  church?  Then 
try  a  "bottle-doll"  or  "clothes-pin-doll"  performance 
for  their  benefit.  Methods  employed  by  the  writer  to 
portray  the  "brand-from-the-burning"  episode  in  the 
life  of  John  Wesley  may  prove  suggestive  for  other 
similar  undertakings. 

A  cardboard  house  constructed  by  one  of  the  boys 
represented  the  rectory.  Bottles  and  clothes  pins  were 
dressed  for  the  several  members  of  the  Wesley  family. 
Charles  Wesley,  the  baby,  was  a  small  medicine  bottle 
with  a  white  cloth  wrapped  around  it.  John  Wesley 
was  a  larger  bottle  dressed  in  similar  fashion.  The 
father  was  a  clothes  pin  garbed  in  clericals.  A  bit  of 
white  cotton  made  his  wig.  The  other  characters  were 
also  clothes  pins.  The  introduction,  story,  and  action 
were  much  like  the  following : 

When  John  Wesley  was  almost  six  years  old  some- 
thing happened  to  him  which  he  remembered  all  the 
days  of  his  Hfe.  His  father  was  a  preacher  and  had 
told  the  people  in  the  village  of  their  wickedness.   This 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  109 

angered  some  of  them.  On  two  occasions  masked  men 
set  fire  to  the  house,  the  last  time  in  the  middle  of  the 
night.  No  one  saw  them  at  their  wicked  work,  and 
before  people  were  aware  of  the  fact  the  house  was 
all  aflame.    The  family  escaped  wnth  difficulty. 

Now,  I  am  going  to  tell  about  it  and  show  just  how 
it  all  happened.  This  little,  teeny  bit  of  a  doll  is 
Charles  Wesley,  the  baby.  See,  he  is  dressed  in  his 
night  clothes.  This  one  is  John.  This  one  with  the 
wicked-looking  face  and  with  the  tattered  clothes  is 
the  one  who  sets  fire  to  the  house.  But  then  I  do 
not  need  to  tell  you  all  about  it  now.  We  can  recognize 
the  characters  when  they  come  into  the  scene. 

Here  is  the  house  in  w^hich  John  and  his  parents 
lived.  They  are  all  inside  now;  for  it  is  nearly  mid- 
night. They  are  fast  asleep.  Everything  is  quiet,  just 
as  quiet  as  can  be — not  a  thing  moving.  Yes,  there  is 
too.  See,  'way  down  there  in  the  shadows.  See  that 
head.  (Head  of  the  man  who  burns  the  house  is 
stuck  out  over  the  edge  of  the  table.  This  figure  and 
the  others  are  moved  as  the  story  indicates. )  See  how 
carefully  he  looks  about  one  way  and  another.  Now 
you  can  see  his  whole  body.  I  wonder  what  he  is  going 
to  do.  He  is  sneaking — sneaking  along  in  the  shadows 
of  the  buildings.  A  dog  barks.  He  stops  a  moment. 
He  surely  must  mean  some  harm. 

He  is  going  to  the  house.  He  kneels  down.  Yes, 
and  he  pours  some  oil  on  the  trash  he  has  carried  with 
him  and  lights  it  and  runs  away.  See  the  flame  (a 
piece  of  red  tissue  paper  is  pulled  up  over  the  edge  of 
the  table  near  the  corner  of  the  house).  Now  it  is 
covering  the  whole  side  of  the  house.  The  roof  is 
aflame.     I  wonder  why  some  one  doesn't  see  it  and 


no       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

cry,  "Fire!  Fire!"  Pieces  of  the  roof  must  surely  be 
falling  in  by  this  time.  Yes,  some  of  the  fire  falls  on 
Hetty,  one  of  the  older  children.  She  runs  to  tell  her 
father.     They  rush  from  the  house.     They  are  safe. 

No,  no,  they  are  not  all  there.  John  is  not  there. 
They  are  all  there  except  him.  Father  Wesley  runs  to 
the  stairway.  It  is  all  aflame.  He  tries  to  climb  it. 
It  is  too  hot  and  the  fire  drives  him  back.  He  tries  it 
again — and  again.  He  cannot  get  through.  John  must 
have  been  asleep  when  the  nurse  told  them  all  to  come, 
for  he  didn't  follow.  Yes,  he  was  asleep  and  didn't 
hear.  The  light  wakes  him.  He  thinks  it  is  morning 
and  calls  to  the  nurse.  She  doesn't  answer  him.  Then 
he  smells  smoke  and  runs  to  the  stairway.  The  blaze 
scorches  his  face  as  he  opens  the  door.  He  cannot  get 
down.  He  runs  back  to  his  own  room  again  crying 
with  fright.  He  climbs  on  a  chest  of  drawers  over  to 
the  window.  The  roof  over  his  head  is  now  ablaze. 
He  cries  out  to  some  of  the  people  who  have  gathered 
below.    The  crackle  of  the  flames  drowns  out  his  voice. 

Suddenly  one  of  the  men  below  sees  him.  It  is  too 
late  to  get  a  ladder.  Surely  he  will  be  burned  to  death. 
No,  see,  a  big  man  is  lifting  a  little  man  to  his  shoul- 
ders. This  one  reaches  up  to  grasp  the  boy  but  falls. 
Again  he  is  lifted  up.  This  time  he  catches  hold  of 
John  and  pulls  him  out  of  the  window.  It  is  just  in 
time;  for  the  roof  has  now  fallen. 

All  the  people  rejoice,  John  Wesley's  father  above 
all.  I  wonder  why  he  is  gathering  all  the  people  about 
him.  They  are  kneeling  down.  And  now  he  is  thank- 
ing God  for  the  deliverance.  May  we  also  thank  God 
that  he  saved  John  Wesley,  the  founder  of  a  great 
church,  from  the  flames. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  in 

A  short  prayer  conckides  the  story. 

Teaching  principles  of  health  and  hygiene. — The 

Child's  Heakh  Organization  has  used  the  dramatic 
method  to  spread  propaganda  among  the  children  of 
America.  Cho-Cho,  a  clown  who  demonstrates  health 
and  happiness  through  droll  antics  and  humorous  ac- 
tion; the  Picture  Man,  who  makes  vegetables  perform 
in  miniature  drama  through  the  use  of  chalk ;  and  the 
Health  Fairy,  who  comes  all  the  way  from  Fairyland 
to  tell  and  demonstrate  the  results  of  health  and  hap- 
piness, are  the  main  characters  used. 

Who  can  imagine  the  joy  and  pleasure  a  "really 
and  truly"  Health  Fairy  wath  lovely  silver  wings  and  a 
gown  of  moonlit  mist  might  give  to  the  children  of  an 
East  Side  district  in  New  York  city.  They  would 
listen  to  every  word  she  said;  for,  of  course,  she  could 
grant  them  **most  every  wish  they  desired."  And  if 
she  promised  to  play  only  with  those  who  kept  their 
windows  open  and  washed  their  teeth  each  day,  why,  all 
of  them  in  the  future  would  be  very,  very  careful. 

A  picture  man  who  could  draw  milk  bottles,  coffee 
pots,  and  carrots,  and  then  with  a  few  swift  strokes 
change  them  into  picture  people  who  could  talk  would 
be  no  less  interesting.  Crayon  pictures  themselves  are 
always  fascinating;  but  pictures  that  play  stories  and 
rattle  off  rimes  are  truly  wonderful.  Just  think  of  a 
beet  or  a  turnip  turning  into  a  man,  and  of  a  converted 
milk  bottle  giving  a  health  lecture.  Surely,  one  who 
can  bring  such  things  to  pass  is  a  "miracle  man." 

Clowns  also  are  attractions.  They  and  the  horse- 
back riders  and  the  animals  make  up  a  circus.  My, 
my,  what  a  treat  it  would  be  to  have  a  circus  on  the 
street  in  front  of  your  own  house!     Why,  of  course, 


112        PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

you  would  laugh  at  the  clown's  droll  antics  and  try  to 
comb  your  hair,  wash  your  hands,  and  do  other  like 
"stunts"  just  as  he  did.    That  would  be  fun. 

Educational  Dramatics  Creates  Proper  Atti- 
tudes 

Christian  education  must  of  necessity  concern  itself 
with  human  attitudes.  Man's  attitude  toward  his  fel- 
low men  and  toward  God  determines  to  a  great  extent 
his  future  course  of  action.  How  to  arouse  sentiment 
and  create  new  outlooks  upon  life  also  is  the  problem 
of  religious  educators.  Religion  should  create  an  ap- 
preciation for  all  the  better  and  ennobling  things  of 
life.  The  growing  popularity  of  dramatization  as  a 
method  of  awakening  social,  aesthetic,  and  intellectual 
interests,  and  of  creating  and  sustaining  Christian 
bearing  toward  one's  fellow  men,  indicates  that  it  is 
serving  a  truly  educational  purpose. 

Appreciation  of  art. — How  to  bring  children  to  an 
appreciation  of  the  best  in  literature,  music,  painting, 
and  sculpturing  is  a  problem  of  both  religious  and  sec- 
ular educators.  It  is  not  insoluble.  Other  nations 
have  accomplished  this  end.  Dutch  peasant  women 
wheeling  their  carts  to  market  hum  and  sing  the  clas- 
sics. Italians  of  America  who  work  in  the  restaurants 
and  even  in  railroad  gangs,  often,  are  familiar  with  the 
best  paintings  and  sculpturing  and  will  make  attempts 
at  reproduction.  The  Spaniards  take  an  interest  in 
the  arts,  especially  literature,  and  their  poetic  fancy  is 
given  expression  in  verse.  Through  it  they  make 
known  their  joys  and  sorrows  in  love  ballad  and  death 
song.    And  all  over  the  continent  will  be  found  hand- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  113 

s 

workeis  who  have  wrought  out  pleasing  designs  in 
metal,  w^ood,  and  stone — brass  vases  skillfully  pounded 
out  and  engraved,  wood  carvings  dexterously  fash- 
ioned after  well-known  models,  and  other  artistic 
creations  expressing  the  initiative  of  the  worker. 

School  children  in  many  places,  through  the  use  of 
prints  and  pictures,  music  and  literature,  are  made 
familiar  with  the  masterpieces.  The  public  art  galler- 
ies, museums,  libraries,  and  playgrounds,  through 
story-telling  and  handwork,  have  also  attempted  the 
solution  of  many  educational  problems. 

Dramatic  activities,  likewise,  have  been  encouraged, 
that  the  aesthetic  sense  of  the  younger  generation  might 
be  developed.  It  has  proved  itself  to  be  an  aid  of  the 
highest  value.  For  instance,  suitable  dialogue  is 
needed  for  the  drama  of  Ruth.  The  familiar  lines, 
"Entreat  me  not  to  leave  thee  .  .  ."  become  at  once 
a  part  of  the  child's  repertoire.  A  biblical  tableau 
calling  for  exactness  of  detail  is  to  be  produced.  The 
works  of  master  painters  are  gone  to  as  models.  Fig- 
ures on  Greek  vases,  tapestries,  and  frescoes  are  studied 
for  ideas  of  line,  mass,  form,  and  color.  A  knowledge 
of  dramatic  technique  and  an  appreciation  for  the  best 
of  literature  are  gained  through  a  reading  of  the  classic 
plays  and  better  poems  and  novels.  Musical  introduc- 
tions and  musical  selections  which  are  an  integral  part 
of  the  text  cultivate  a  desire  for  better,  worth-while 
compositions.  There  is  scarcely  an  art  which  may  not 
find  expression  through  dramatic  undertakings.  Inter- 
est in  histrionic  presentation  stimulates  an  appreciation 
for  all  artistic  endeavors. 

Patriotism.  — Patriotism,  in  reality,  is  not  taught 
through  instruction  alone.    It  is  felt.     Mere  memoriz- 


114       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

ing  of  preambles,  learning  the  names  of  Presidents, 
and  being  able  to  recite  a  few  patriotic  sentiments  does 
not  make  a  good  American;  neither  does  birth.  An 
immigrant  coming  from  Russia  or  some  other  coun- 
try of  oppression  may  be  more  truly  American  than 
many  native-born.  This  country  may  mean  more  to  him. 
Perhaps  it  has  freed  him  from  an  age-long  bondage. 
He  realizes  that  his  property  is  safe;  that  his  children 
will  never  see  their  father  and  mother  dragged  from 
their  burning  dwelling,  maltreated,  and  killed.  He 
thrills  with  excitement  when  he  sees  the  flag  go  by. 
Is  it  strange?  That  is  the  symbol  of  the  country  which 
has  given  him  his  new  birth. 

True,  one  may  never  be  able  to  awaken  such  a  feel- 
ing of  gratitude  among  all  school  children.  They  can- 
not sense  the  true  meaning  of  freedom  as  they  to  whom 
it  has  once  been  denied.  Through  dramatization,  how- 
ever, to  a  certain  extent  they  may  be  led  into  an  appre- 
ciation of  what  the  country  has  meant  to  its  founders, 
its  defenders,  and  its  most  devoted  citizens.  When  the 
signing  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  is  "acted 
out,"  as  it  is  frequently  done  in  many  of  the  grades  in 
connection  with  American  history  lessons,  an  under- 
standing is  gained  of  the  conviction,  spirit,  and  sense 
of  duty  which  dominated  the  men  who  had  the  courage 
to  defy  the  mother  country.  Playing  the  part  of  Lin- 
coln admits  one  into  an  intimate  relationship  with  the 
martyred  President.  For  the  time  being,  one  lives  the 
part.  Secrets  and  feelings  that  cannot  be  expressed  in 
words  become  his.  The  same  holds  true  with  all  spon- 
taneous character  delineations. 

For  instance,  a  certain  college  in  the  Middle  West, 
at  the  time  of  the  presidential    campaign  of    1912, 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  115 

staged  a  mock  patriotic  rally.  The  band  played,  peo- 
ple in  the  audience  clapped  and  cheered  their  respective 
candidates  and  the  spirit  of  such  a  rally  was  duplicated 
in  all  the  details.  If  I  remember  correctly,  Woodrow 
Wilson,  William  Howard  Taft,  Eugene  Debs,  and 
Theodore  Roosevelt  were  all  present.  A  study  of  the 
political  issues  necessary  for  the  characterization  of 
the  part  of  Theodore  Roosevelt  awakened  a  new  spirit 
in  the  young  man  who  took  that  role.  His  speech  was 
not  a  mock  affair  to  him.  He  put  his  whole  soul  into 
it.  Roosevelt  himself  could  hardly  have  been  more 
moved  in  the  declaration  of  the  principles  of  the  cam- 
paign. 

The  social  aspects  of  the  platform  made  a  special 
appeal  to  the  "understudy"  of  the  Great  American,  as 
they  would  to  any  youth,  for  youth  is  the  age  of  altru- 
istic awakenings.  He  was  stirred  to  his  innermost 
being  as  he  reviewed  the  injustice  done  the  submerged 
classes,  and  he  flamed  with  righteous  indignation  as  he 
scathed  the  men  behind  the  "Invisible  Government" 
who  profited  by  such  iniquity.  The  reaction  to  the 
characterization  was  more  than  momentary.  It  de- 
termined what  should  be  the  dominant  motive  in  a  life, 
and  proved  in  practice  that  an  "acted-out  experience" 
may  have  the  force  of  a  "real-life  experience." 

World-wide  sympathy. — Would  you  create  a 
world-wide  sympathy  in  your  church,  a  desire  for  the 
evangelization  of  non-Christian  peoples?  That  is  en- 
tirely possible  if  you  start  soon  enough.  A  girl  will 
always  remember  the  need  of  India  after  she  has  felt 
the  sense  of  depression  and  utter  hopelessness  which 
came  to  her  when  she  played  the  part  of  a  child  widow 
in  a  missionary  dramatization. 


ii6       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

Proper  attitudes  toward  foreign  peoples  may  be 
evoked  in  many  ways.  Mothers  in  the  home  or  teachers 
in  the  school  may  plan  excursions  into  foreign  coun- 
tries. A  box  or  a  string  of  chairs  may  be  the  convey- 
ance which  takes  the  traveler  to  the  strange  land. 
Older  children  who  have  been  prompted  beforehand 
may  be  the  natives  in  the  villages  entered.  They  can 
describe  their  houses,  making  great  use  of  the  "pre- 
tend spirit."  They  can  also  act  as  guides  and  show 
their  mission  stations  and  the  hospitals  where  people 
are  being  treated.  Perhaps  they  might  add  local  color 
and  make  more  vivid  and  lasting  impressions  by  sing- 
ing songs  and  conducting  services  in  true  native  style. 
The  journey  could  well  be  closed  by  sitting  down  to 
a  meal  characteristic  of  the  country  visited.  Of  course 
rice  would  be  served  in  China  and  tea  in  Japan. 

Under  the  direction  of  the  missionary  superintend- 
ent of  the  church  school,  doll  exhibits,  likewise,  may  be 
made.  Different  classes  may  assume  the  responsibility 
for  dressing  the  dolls  and  fashioning  miniature  stage 
accessories.  A  boys'  class  would  take  pleasure  in  lay- 
ing out  an  African  village  with  its  grass  huts.  A 
girls'  class  could  blacken  cheap  dolls  such  as  can  be 
purchased  at  the  ten-cent  store  and  dress  them  in  native 
costume.  Dolls  representing  missionaries  could  be 
given  the  names  of  prominent  men  and  women.  On  a 
special  day  when  the  different  booths  representing  all 
the  countries  are  completed,  fathers  and  mothers  and 
friends  may  come  to  see  the  exhibit.  It  may  be  that 
parents  who  have  assisted  the  children  in  some  of  their 
planning  of  costumes  and  properties  will  receive  more 
help  than  the  children  themselves. 

Miss  Mary  Rolfe,  of  Champaign,  Illinois,  has  been 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  117 

conducting  an  unusually  interesting  course  in  mis- 
sionary education  in  one  of  the  churches.  She  has 
taken  the  part  of  a  Mohammedan,  and  the  high-school 
pupils  with  whom  she  has  been  working  have  tried  to 
convert  her  to  Christianity.  All  types  of  arguments 
have  been  advanced — many  of  them  the  result  of  hours 
of  research  into  Mohammedan  customs  and  Christian 
realities.  In  this  study  they  have  not  only  sensed  the 
evils  of  non-Christian  religions,  but  have  also  gained  a 
clearer  insight  into  their  own  religion  and  acquired  a 
reasonable  faith.  And  it  has  all  been  a  great  game — 
not  an  irksome  moment  in  it. 

Educational  Dramatics  Determines  Character 

Any  educational  system  of  training  in  religion  is  a 
failure  which  does  not  promote  Christian  conduct  and 
build  Christian  character.  Educational  Dramatics 
does  achieve  these  essential  results. 

It  moves  men  to  action. — The  results  attained  by 
the  production  of  the  "Mass  Movement,"  a  pageant 
depicting  the  heart  hunger  of  India  for  a  gospel  which 
satisfies  the  inner  longings  for  soul  peace,  reveals  the 
possibilities  of  dramatic  expression  as  an  evangelizing 
agency.  This  pageant  was  first  produced  in  a  corner 
of  the  India  Building  at  the  Centenary  Celebration  of 
the  Methodist  Churches  in  Columbus,  Ohio.  It  at- 
tracted so  much  attention  that  it  was  made  more  than  a 
side  exhibit  and  was  staged  in  a  larger  way.  Later  it 
was  produced  in  the  open  before  thousands  of  people. 
So  vivid  and  realistic  were  the  representations  of  vil- 
lage life  that  Bishop  Warne,  who  was  familiar  with  con- 
ditions in  India  and  who  frequently  prefaced  the  pro- 


Ii8       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

duction  by  a  few  introductory  remarks  from  his  own 
experience,  was  so  moved  that  he  could  scarcely  con- 
trol his  emotions.  As  Jesus  looked  down  on  the  city 
of  Jerusalem  and  wept  when  he  saw  all  the  sin  and 
iniquity,  so  the  bishop  and  all  others  who  saw  the 
pageant  production  looked  down  upon  the  great  need 
and  soul  hunger  of  India. 

After  the  Centenary  Celebration  several  of  the  mis- 
sionaries from  India  went  out,  two  by  two,  and  pro- 
duced the  pageant  in  different  parts  of  the  country. 
Usually  other  people  to  the  number  of  fifteen  or  twenty 
were  asked  to  assist.  A  short  practice  before  the  pre- 
sentation was  sufficient  for  them  to  get  their  parts. 
Everything  was  given  impromptu.  The  "verities  of 
the  situation  determined  action  and  dialogue." 

The  following  excerpt  from  a  letter  written  by  W. 
H.  Bancroft,  one  of  the  missionaries  producing  this 
pageant,  gives  an  idea  of  the  effectiveness  of  such 
method  of  presentation:  "God  is  richly  blessing  us 
here  [Washington,  D.  C].  Last  Sunday  over  one 
hundred  and  twenty  young  people  in  two  churches 
came  forward  and  dedicated  their  services  to  the  Lord. 
We  have  had  responses  wherever  we  have  had  an  op- 
portunity to  give  the  call  for  life  service.  Last  Fri- 
day night  in  Annapolis,  Maryland,  fifty-nine  of  the 
younger  life  of  the  church  came  forward.  One  man 
holding  a  Ph.D.  degree  has  allowed  me  to  send  his 
name  to  the  candidate  department.  A  member  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  also  came  forward  on  the 
call." 

Perhaps  it  might  be  well  to  cite  another  example 
showing  that  Educational  Dramatics  does  move  men  to 
action.    Students  of  a  certain  State  Normal  School  a 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  119 

few  years  ago  were  sent  to  a  Hungarian  quarter  of  a 
city  to  gather  material  for  a  Hungarian  festival.  The 
assignment  at  first  was  not  at  all  alluring,  for  that 
particular  part  of  the  city  was  then  famed  for  a  recent 
murder  and  all  of  the  inhabitants  were  regarded  with 
suspicion.  Mary  Master  Needham,  in  Folk  Festivals/ 
records  the  results  of  the  research : 

"And  so  it  was  that  four  weeks  from  the  day  when 
Oak  Street  in  the  Hungarian  quarter  had  first  been  the 
scene  of  such  an  upheaval  of  traditions,  there  was  a 
gathering  in  the  grove  of  the  school  to  see  a  ^festival.' 
It  was  an  Indian  summer  day,  as  if  nature  too  had 
caught  something  of  the  spirit  of  the  festival.  In  the 
audience  were  a  number  of  dark-skinned,  eager-faced, 
vital  creatures  in  holiday  attire.  'They  are  the  Hun- 
garians who  taught  the  class,'  it  was  whispered;  and 
more  than  once  the  spectators  turned  from  the  games 
and  folk  tales  acted  out  on  the  green  to  these  eager, 
responsive  people,  brought  to  this  grove  for  the  first 
time,  and  bound  to  the  class  by  a  common  tie  of  festal 
spirit." 

In  a  similar  way  an  approach  was  made  to  other 
nationalities,  and  the  information  gained,  supplemented 
with  written  material,  furnished  a  background  for  many 
festivals  which  utilized  the  Greek,  French,  Italian,  and 
Swedish  peoples.  The  value  of  these  community  fes- 
tivals is  summed  up  thus :  "The  change  of  front,  the 
widened  horizon  that  they  gained  in  seeking  the  mate- 
rial from  the  people  themselves,  was  inestimable.  They 
no  longer  set  these  people  aside,  or  ignored  them,  but 
through  an  attempt  to  place  them  in  their  historical 
backgrounds  they  became  more  powerful  themselves 

IB.  W.  Huebsch,  Inc.,  publisher. 


I20       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

and  understood  themselves  better,  and,  more  than  all, 
got  themselves  understood  the  better — a  task  that 
sometimes  takes  all  of  life  and  living  to  accompHsh." 
Who  can  deny  the  character-building  values  of  such 
experiences?  The  dramatic  method  involves  the 
bringing  into  action  of  those  resources  of  which  char- 
acter is  made.  Knowledge  is  put  to  use;  sympathies 
carried  over  into  conduct.  It  is  through  such  living 
experiences  that  character  is  achieved. 

Summary. — Thus  we  see  how  knowledge,  culture, 
and  other  phases  of  the  spiritual  heritage  of  the  race 
can  be  made  a  part  of  individual  life  by  dramatization. 
Using  this  method,  we  may  train  the  individual  in  the 
gentle  art  of  getting  on  well  with  his  neighbors.  We 
can  make  his  social  sympathies  what  we  will.  Of 
course,  not  all  educational  procedure  can  make  use  of 
this  method.  A  man  doing  research  work  in  the  field  of 
natural  science  should  hardly  be  expected  to  be  en- 
thusiastic over  such  a  means  of  gaining  this  kind  of 
knowledge. 

Similar  limits  occur  even  in  the  elementary  grades 
with  certain  subjects.  Therefore  the  dramatic  en- 
thusiast should  not  let  her  better  judgment  become 
subverted  in  her  desire  to  demonstrate  an  educational 
theory.  She  must  consider  that  there  are  impulses 
other  than  those  which  prompt  dramatic  expression  and 
at  times  the  desire  for  their  satisfaction  is  strong 
enough  to  demand  their  recognition.  Drama  should 
be  used  only  where  it  will  be  the  most  suitable  and  effec- 
tive method  of  teaching.  That  can  be  determined 
largely  by  the  nature  of  the  subjectmatter,  the  aims  to 
be  achieved,  the  interests  and  needs  of  the  pupils,  and 
the  availability  of  capable  leaders. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  121 

Books  for  Reference 

Harriet  Finlay-Johnson,  The  Dramatic  Method  of 
Teaching. 

H.  Caldwell  Cook,  The  Play  Way. 

Winifred  Sackville  Stoner,  Manual  of  Natural  Educa- 
tion. 

Percival  Chubb  and  Associates,  Festivals  and  Plays. 

Norman  E.  Richardson,  editor,  The  Dramatic  Instinct 
in  Children,  Dramatics  in  the  Home,  Story-Telling 
in  the  Home. 


122       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

CHAPTER   VIII 

HELPS  IN   PRODUCING 

This  chapter  is  written  particularly  for  those  who 
work  with  children,  young  people,  and  adults  and 
whose  interests  demand  a  more  finished  performance 
than  is  usually  sought  in  story  dramatization  and  non- 
text productions.  Much  of  the  material  is  famiHar  to 
those  who  have  served  as  play  or  pageant  directors.  It 
will,  however,  prove  suggestive  to  amateurs,  and  may 
even  give  some  new  ideas  to  experienced  producers. 

The  Personnel 

The  cast  or  acting  personnel  is  the  first  consideration 
in  Educational  Dramatics.  Other  interests,  such  as 
artistic  finish,  entertainment  value  and  "audience  con- 
cern," are  secondary. 

How  chosen. — Method  of  selecting  the  cast  is  de- 
termined by  the  type  of  production  and  its  purpose. 
Classroom  dramatic  activities  and  large  community 
pageants  are  governed  by  different  principles.  In  the 
classroom  it  is  the  development  of  the  player  that  is  the 
end  in  view,  and  so  children,  protected  from  the  em- 
barrassment of  a  mass  of  onlookers,  may  be  cast  for 
parts  for  which  they  are  dramatically  unsuited,  if  such 
parts  are  a  stimulus  in  desired  growth.  In  large  com- 
munity productions,  however,  the  purpose  is  to  give 
aesthetic  expression  to  popular  sentiment — or  to  crys- 
tallize public  opinion.     This  may  require  participants 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  123 

of  ability  for  the  leading  roles.  Any  one  of  several 
ways  may  be  used  in  determining  what  persons  should 
be  assigned  to  the  different  parts. 

A  large  production  requires  a  committee  which,  un- 
der the  supervision  of  the  director,  enlists  the  person- 
nel. Often  it  is  found  advisable  to  allow  one  of  the 
sponsoring  organizations  to  assume  entire  responsi- 
bility for  enlisting  the  minor  characters  of  an  episode. 
From  a  local  school  of  expression  or  a  gymnasium 
class  may  be  secured  members  who  have  been  trained 
in  rhythmic  and  physical  flexibilities.  These  persons 
may  be  prepared  under  their  own  instructors  for  their 
respective  roles.  From  such  instructors  leaders  may  be 
found  w^ho,  under  the  direction  of  the  stage  manager, 
will  take  charge  of  interludes  involving  special  group- 
ing and  rhythmic  movement.  Especially  does  outdoor 
pageantry,  which  depends  little  upon  dialogue,  call  for 
such  experts  in  group  and  individual  expressive  move- 
ment and  action. 

For  smaller  and  less  exacting  productions,  personnel 
may  be  selected  by  a  round-robin  reading.  Thus  the 
interest  and  temperament  of  the  players  may  be  dis- 
closed. A  study  of  the  reaction  of  individuals  to  the 
reading,  as  manifested  in  animated  faces  and  respon- 
sive voices,  will  give  many  suggestions  for  the  casting 
of  parts. 

Histrionic  ability  is  not  the  only  consideration.  For 
instance,  the  part  of  the  Christus  would  never  be  given 
to  any  person  in  the  Oberammergau  Passion  Play  who 
did  not  live  the  part  in  daily  life.  So  it  will  be  in  com- 
munities where  the  cast  is  well  known.  The  life  and 
temperament  of  the  players  should  approximate  that 
of  the  individuals  they  personify.    Otherwise  some  of 


124       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

the  playing,  because  of  past  association  in  the  minds 
of  the  audience,  may  seem  ludicrous. 

Play  analysis. — An  appreciation  for  and  an  under- 
standing of  any  intended  drama  is  essential  to  success- 
ful production.  In  story  playing  and  all  other  forms 
of  Educational  Dramatics  this  end  is  accomplished  by 
play  analysis.  The  director,  guided  always  by  the 
interest  and  maturity  of  the  players,  suggests,  in- 
spires, and  regulates  an  investigation  of  the  text. 
Adults  enter  more  deeply  into  such  analysis  than  chil- 
dren, but  the  same  principle  governs. 

Careful  play  analysis  obviates  stage  embarrassment 
and  induces  spontaneity  and  naturalness  of  action. 
Unnaturalness  usually  results  from  lack  of  knowledge. 
If  the  individual  is  led  into  an  understanding  of  the 
play  motif  and  into  a  sympathy  with  his  role,  he  is  sel- 
dom self-conscious.  Such  questions  as,  "What  shall 
I  do  with  my  hands?"  "How  shall  I  walk?"  and  "Shall 
I  speak  loudly  at  first?"  have  all  been  settled. 

Play  analysis  tells  the  why  of  action,  explains  certain 
types  of  entrances  and  exits,  group  movement,  and  all 
stage  business  that  directly  concerns  the  individual 
player.  Through  it  he  becomes  a  thinking  part  of  a 
production,  animated  and  eager,  rather  than  a  dull  cog 
in  the  stage  machinery.  He  does  a  certain  thing,  not 
because  he  is  told  to  do  it,  but  because  he  feels  that 
such  action  is  right.  He  also  has  learned  that  he  has 
certain  obligations  to  other  players  such  as  "playing 
up  to  them,"  and  avoiding  movement,  noise,  or  other 
distractions  which  divert  attention  from  the  center  of 
interest. 

The  wise  director  does  not  usurp  the  rights  of 
players  in  matters  of  interpretation.     Always  he  en- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  125 

courages  initiative — makes  even  the  minor  characters 
feel  they  are  hving  and  vital  parts  of  the  production, 
not  mere  puppets  to  be  moved  at  will.  While  the  inter- 
est of  the  story  must  be  clear  to  all,  the  detail  of  work- 
ing it  out,  however,  is  confined  to  one  individual.  One 
master  mind  must  determine  group  movement,  relation, 
general  action,  and  place  and  manner  of  group  en- 
trances and  exits.  The  pageant  director  must  be 
master  alike  of  mass  directing  and  individual  develop- 
ment. He  gains  his  ends  by  suggestion,  however, 
rather  than  by  coercion.  The  type  of  a  leader  who 
forces  his  own  ideas  of  interpretation  upon  players  and 
drives  them  unmercifully  to  their  task  (for  under  such 
conditions  playing  becomes  a  task)  has  no  place  in  the 
field  of  Educational  Dramatics. 

Movement  and  grouping. — Grouping,  especially  in 
pageantry,  is  an  important  means  to  the  end,  which  is 
effect.  This  is  an  art  in  itself — one  obedient  to  the 
laws  of  pictorial  composition,  involving  light  and 
shadow,  mass  and  line,  the  relative  position  of  in- 
dividuals, and  related  values  of  background,  fore- 
ground, and  center  of  interest.  There  is  also  aesthetic 
significance  in  grouping  demanding  symmetry  and  bal- 
ance, not  noticeable  perhaps  in  detail,  but  which  influ- 
ences the  general  picture  value. 

The  play  director  and  the  painter  of  canvas  deal 
with  similar  problems.  Both,  in  their  undertakings, 
recognize  the  fundamental  laws  of  pictorial  composi- 
tion. The  task  of  the  director  in  some  respects  is 
the  more  complicated.  To  give  new  sense  impressions, 
create  new  interests,  and  stimulate  emotions,  he  must 
constantly  redistribute  his  characters.  His  stage  pic- 
tures are  not  fixed,  but  continually  changing.     On  the 


126       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

other  hand,  he  has  an  advantage.  He  may  employ  all 
the  aids  known  to  psychology  in  focusing  attention — 
color,  movement,  sound,  line,  and  isolation. 

"Only  one  thing  at  a  time  happens  on  the  stage." 
Hence  all  action  should  aim  to  bring  out  the  dramatic 
situation  as  conceived  by  the  players  and  director. 
Any  action  w^hich  does  not  add  to  the  general  effect 
is  certain  to  be  a  distraction  which  will  dissipate  inter- 
est. Perhaps  no  truth  is  more  often  overlooked. 
Minor  characters,  unconscious  of  the  fact  they  are  in- 
juring the  effectiveness  of  a  play,  often  attract  the  at- 
tention of  the  audience  to  themselves  by  peculiar  antics 
and  movements.  Even  on  the  professional  stage  un- 
principled individuals  may  maliciously  take  advantage 
of  the  opportunity  their  parts  give  them,  and  in  a  spirit 
of  spite  muddle  situations  to  the  embarrassment  of 
leading  players.  Such  a  simple  thing  as  the  flash  of  a 
gold  pencil  moved  back  and  forth  may  be  sufficient  to 
divert  the  attention  of  an  audience  from  the  center  of 
interest. 

Securing  dominance. — We  may  well  give  some 
consideration  to  means  by  which  leading  players  may 
be  made  noticeable,  and  by  which  *'big  situations"  may 
be  accentuated.  In  display  advertising,  type  is  care- 
fully selected,  and  judiciously  placed  so  that  it  will 
"speak."  The  same  general  principle  is  applied  in  the 
stage  art.  Players  are  not  scattered  promiscuously 
over  the  stage  or  huddled  together,  but  placed  in  cer- 
tain positions  that  they  may  convey  their  message. 
The  stage  background  should  be  such  that  the  charac- 
ters will  stand  out.  The  stage  settings  take  the  place 
of  the  white  space  in  advertising.  Bright  colors  may 
by  their  obtrusiveness  preclude  character  dominance. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  127 

Frequently  dominance  may  be  secured  by  isolation 
of  players.  An  individual  when  he  speaks  usually  re- 
moves himself  from  the  group.  Both  the  movement 
and  position  taken  help  to  make  him  a  center  of  inter- 
est. Out-of-doors  pageantry  avails  itself  of  colored 
costumes  and  bright  properties  to  focus  attention  to 
leading  players.  Indoor  presentation  uses  colored 
lights  and  ''spots." 

Perhaps  no  aid  is  employed  more  effectively  in  pag- 
eantry than  mass  and  line.  Consider  what  dominance 
is  secured  by  placing  a  player  in  a  prominent  position 
and  then  focusing  the  attention  of  the  audience  and 
players  upon  him.  A  shift  of  a  few  players  may  make 
an  individual  the  center  of  interest.  Another  shift, 
and  he  becomes  absorbed  into  the  group. 

Painting  on  classic  vases,  color  prints,  and  certain 
works  of  the  old  masters  will  offer  valuable  suggestions 
in  regard  to  effective  grouping.  Examination  of  group- 
ings given  in  books  on  pageant  and  play  productions 
will  also  be  helpful.  Davol's  Handbook  of  American 
Pageantry  is  unusually  interesting  to  those  directing 
outdoor  festivals  and  pageants,  since  Mr.  Davol  in  his 
capacity  of  investigator  and  writer  has  been  able  to 
picture  many  of  the  most  noteworthy  pageants  given 
in  America.  For  the  reproduction  of  Bible  scenes, 
especially  those  of  the  Nativity,  Bethlehem  Tableaux, 
by  John  K.  C.  Chesshire,  The  Gospels  in  Art,  edited 
by  W.  Shaw  Sparrow,  and  the  Life  of  Christ  as  Rep- 
resented in  Art,  by  Dean  Farrar,  will  render  valuable 
assistance. 

Aids  in  Creating  Dramatic  Illusion 
Dramatic  illusion  makes  an  acted  experience  assume 


128       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

reality.  Such  illusion  may  be  assisted  by  judicious  use 
of  costumes,  properties,  stage  settings,  color,  and 
music. 

Costumes. — Woman's  eternal  question,  "What  shall 
I  wear?"  is  put  also  by  Educational  Dramatics.  What 
woman  solves  the  problem  to  her  own  satisfaction? 
More  difficult  still  is  the  problem  of  costuming  a  pro- 
duction. Not  one  but  many  individuals  must  be  con- 
sidered, and  the  mood,  time,  and  type  of  the  drama. 
A  few  general  suggestions  may  prove  helpful. 

Never,  except  for  uniforms  and  for  costumes  where 
historical  accuracy  and  elegance  demand  exactness  of 
detail,  deal  with  professional  costumers.  Their  clothes 
are  usually  tawdry,  dirty,  expensive,  and  merit  no 
Y  respect  from  the  players.  Costuming  is  part  of  the 
activity  of  an  educational  production.  The  less  elab- 
orate garments  can  readily  be  made  in  the  community. 
They  will  be  clean  and  will  cost  little  more  than  those 
rented  and  may  be  of  property  value  for  future  pro- 
ductions. 

In  almost  every  city  and  village  will  be  found  talent 
for  costume  designing.  Old  photographs,  illustrated 
histories.  Perry  prints,  and  books  on  costuming  found 
in  public  libraries  will  stimulate  ideas.  After  the  cos- 
tumes have  been  designed  and  the  material  purchased 
and  cut  out,  the  task,  rather  the  pleasure,  of  making, 
may  be  given  to  the  participants  or  to  a  sewing  class. 
A  neighborhood  sewing  bee  may  be  the  order  of  the 
day.  Allowing  the  participants  to  design  their  own 
costumes  undirected  may  result  in  ludicrous  creations. 
Often  the  desire  to  fashion  after  one's  own  preference 
may  overshadow  the  suggested  harmonies  of  a  produc- 
tion.    Only  with  small  groups  where  there  can  be  a 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  129 

careful  supervision,  is  it  ever  wise  to  give  the  entire 
initiative  to  the  players. 

Sometimes  the  town  proves  a  veritable  storehouse. 
Suitable  and  beautiful  costumes  come  forth  from  gen- 
erous attics.  Heirlooms  graciously  appear — such 
articles  as  grandmother's  wedding  dress,  mother's  old 
party  gown,  a  beautiful  Japanese  garment,  lengths  of 
drapery,  scarfing,  fans,  lace,  feathers,  and  what  not. 
In  certain  cities  are  quaint  and  attractive  folk  cos- 
tumes of  the  foreign  born,  to  draw  from.  It  is  really 
surprising  what  can  be  unearthed  by  systematic  effort. 
Such  costumes  are  more  significant  than  those  secured 
otherwise.  The  necessary  tuck  here,  the  disguise  of 
an  age  spot  there,  is  a  simple  matter  to  be  trusted  per- 
haps to  the  skill  of  the  player. 

Each  episode  of  the  pageant  and  every  character  of 
a  drama  should  be  provided  for  as  a  part  of  the  whole. 
Elaborate  or  striking  costumes  for  ill-chosen  episodes 
or  persons  may  spoil  the  climax  or  finale  by  magnifying 
minor  characters  or  incidents.  There  should  be  a  rea- 
son for  every  design  and  every  color.  Otherwise  there 
can  be  but  discord  which  detracts  from  the  central  pur- 
pose of  the  production. 

Bear  in  mind  the  value  of  substitute  material  in 
making  costumes.  Distance,  light,  and  effect  of  con- 
trast may  lend  significance  to  inexpensive  cheese  cloth, 
canton  flannel,  burlap,  and  netting,  and  serve  every 
need  of  groups  and  minor  characters.  Many  effects 
can  be  gained  by  painting  and  dyeing.  Ingenuity,  not 
goods  alone,  is  the  stuff  of  which  often  the  most  effec- 
tive costumes  are  made. 

Clarice  Vallette  McCauley  thus  describes  the  cos- 
tumes  designed    for   a   dramatic    festival   by   athletic 


130       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

classes  of  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University. 
The  description  reveals  the  possibilities  of  the  simplest 
material :  ''One  class,  representing  Amazons,  made  their 
special  costumes  of  newspapers.  The  girls  wore  their 
regular  gymnasium  clothes — bloomers  with  black 
stockings  and  black  sneakers.  Skirts  were  made  with 
strips  cut  crosswise  from  newspapers — the  strips  being 
graduated  in  length  and  sewed  to  a  broad  band  of 
newspaper  at  the  waist  and  held  up  by  a  three  inch 
strip  over  the  shoulders.  The  hats  were  abbreviated 
dunce  caps — cones  with  a  bunch  of  crepe  paper  gath- 
ered together  in  chrysanthemum  effect  in  front. 

"Another  class  reproduced  a  Chinese  Dragon  Fes- 
tival. The  girls  went  to  no  expense  for  personal  cos- 
tumes other  than  for  green  dye  with  which  to  color 
their  stockings.  A  long  rectangular  piece  of  cambric 
or  muslin  was  dyed  to  represent  the  body  of  a  dragon. 
The  head,  of  course,  was  made  and  painted  by  hand. 
This  body  covering  was  placed  over  the  girls,  who,  in 
a  bent  position,  walked  along — hands  on  the  waists  of 
those  in  front.  The  first  girl  in  the  line  manipulated 
the  head.  All  that  could  be  seen  was  the  horrible  and 
grotesque  body  and  the  moving  green  legs." 

Properties. — Necessary  properties  for  most  plays 
and  pageants  can  be  secured  with  little  or  no  difficulty. 
Even  dramas  which  demand  historical  accuracy  seldom 
present  unsurmountable  problems.  Spinning  wheels, 
old-fashioned  andirons,  firearms,  and  like  articles  are 
to  be  found  in  most  communities.  Properties  which 
cannot  be  secured  can  usually  be  substituted.  True 
such  substitutes  call  forth  creative  ability  of  players 
and  property  men  alike,  but  that  is  one  of  the  purposes 
of  educational  productions. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  131 

From  cardboard  it  is  possible  to  construct  crowns, 
stars,  and  crescents.  Stiff  buckram  is  invaluable.  It 
can  be  bent  into  desired  shapes  for  masks,  headdress, 
and  armor.  Plaster-board  painted  or  covered  may 
assist  to  fashion  any  number  of  articles  such  as  palan- 
quins, high-backed  chairs,  and  fireplaces.  Nail  kegs 
fastened  together  and  wrapped  with  painted  burlap 
very  well  take  the  place  of  logs.  If  a  woodland  altar 
to  Pan  or  a  rocky  wayside  shrine  is  desired,  gray  wall 
paper  crumpled  over  a  suitable  frame  gives  the  appear- 
ance of  rocks  and  carries  out  the  desired  illusion.  Al- 
most anything  is  possible  through  substitution — great 
vases,  old  parchments,  stone  pillars.  Oriental  fans,  hel- 
mets, and  shields. 

Frequently  small  hand  properties  may  be  used  for 
any  number  of  different  purposes.  Robbers  have  held 
up  stores,  and  prisoners  have  escaped  by  the  employ- 
ment of  such  faked  firearms  as  silver  match  boxes  and 
table  knives.  Such  properties  which  take  the  appear- 
ance of  objects  in  real  life  surely  can  serve  in  enacted 
experiences.  Exactness  of  detail  is  not  essential. 
Clever  substitution  knows  no  limits.  For  instance, 
Louise  Burleigh  cites  one  case  where  a  bright  toy  whis- 
tle was  used  off  stage  ''to  represent  everything  from 
the  sound  of  a  tug  boat  to  the  call  of  a  policeman," 
and  on  the  stage  to  take  the  place  of  a  revolver,  valu- 
able family  silver,  a  toy  in  the  nursery,  and  part  of  a 
soldier's  equipment. 

Stage-setting. — Educational  Dramatics  conforms  to 
the  principles  of  the  new  stagecraft.  It  avoids  that 
naturalism  which  seeks  to  duplicate  in  detail.  Simple 
backgrounds  are  used  and  few  properties  and  cos- 
tumes.    Atmosphere  is  created  and  the  mood  of  the 


132       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

production  is  furthered  by  suggestion  rather  than  by 
exactness  of  reproduction. 

The  creation  of  the  proper  background — one  that 
will  not  be  obtrusive  and  yet  one  which  will  convey  the 
desired  mood  and  atmosphere — calls  for  individual 
study.  General  rules  will  not  apply  to  the  designing 
of  all  exteriors  and  interiors.  The  place  of  production 
also  complicates  the  task  of  the  producer.  Who  would 
think  of  employing  like  presentation  methods  for  in- 
door and  outdoor  performances  ? 

Indoor  performances  are  served  variously  by  cur- 
tains and  screens.  These  with  a  few  properties  may 
suggest  a  harmonious  background  for  the  unfolding  of 
a  play  or  narrative.  Curtains  are  especially  adaptable 
for  the  presentation  of  the  Greek  Classics,  out-of-door 
performances  which  do  not  call  for  an  intimate  treat- 
ment, Shakespearian  plays,  and  religious  dramas  which 
demand  imagery  rather  than  the  portrayal  of  harsh 
fact.  For  indoor  house  sets  small  screens  seven  or 
eight  feet  in  height,  are  useful.  They  may  be  made  of 
plaster-board  which  has  been  given  a  neutral  color,  or 
where  colored  lights  cannot  be  used,  screen  frames 
over  which  different  colored  cloths  or  paper  may  be 
draped. 

Often  it  is  possible  with  a  few  touches  to  adapt  pro- 
ductions to  an  existing  background.  A  better  setting 
could  not  be  devised  for  the  presentation  of  certain 
religious  themes  than  a  church  auditorium.  The  at- 
mosphere which  it  is  ordinarily  necessary  to  create  is 
already  there.  For  classic  plays,  especially  the  Greek, 
the  entrance  to  a  College  building  with  its  large  pillars, 
may,  with  a  few  screens,  be  quite  suitable.  Outdoor 
pageantry  avails  itself  of  forests,  hillsides,  hedges,  and 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  133 

stretches  of  field.  Landing  parties  in  boats  may  ap- 
pear around  a  natural  bend  in  the  river  and  clumps  of 
trees  may  serve  as  screens  for  participants.  Yet  pag- 
eantry suffers  limitation  from  the  fixity  of  natural 
light  and  setting.  Unity  of  place  and  scene  are  im- 
posed, unless  the  audience  itself  be  transferred  from 
view  to  view  as  the  production  may  require.  These 
Hmitations  are  sometimes  ignored,  however.  Night 
scenes  are  played  in  sunlight,  and  interiors  are  sug- 
gested by  a  few  furnishings  ''brought  on"  to  serve. 

Color. — There  is  a  distinct  purpose  in  coloring.  It 
is  not  alone  used  to  please  the  aesthetic  taste  of  the  audi- 
ence, but  it  is  also  employed  as  a  means  of  giving  tone 
or  mood  to  the  production.  Different  colors  have  dis- 
tinct emotional  eft'ects  on  an  audience.  For  instance, 
black  alone  or  when  blended  with  certain  colors  may 
give  an  impression  of  apprehension  or  horror.  White 
suggests  purity  and  cleanliness.  Gray  and  the  quiet 
colors  are  not  intrusive  and  give  one  an  impression  of 
calm  and  peacefulness.  On  the  other  hand,  bright 
colors  when  skillfully  blended,  suggest  life  and  activity. 

For  indoor  presentation  it  is  well  to  choose  a  neutral 
shade  for  curtain  or  screen  background.  It  will  then 
take  any  desired  color  under  artificial  lighting  and  per- 
mit a  variety  of  effects  in  any  one  scene  or  episode. 
Where  lighting  facilities  are  limited  such  pleasing 
results  may  be  obtained  with  an  automobile  "spot 
light"  shining  through  sheets  of  colored  glass. 

For  outdoor  performances  the  costumes  serve  to  em- 
phasize atmosphere  and  tone.  Many  effects,  which  on 
the  indoor  stage  could  be  conveyed  by  dialogue,  must, 
outdoors,  rely  upon  color  and  harmonious  grouping. 
For   instance,    leaders    of    groups    are    indicated    by 


134       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

brighter  colors  than  other  personages.  Their  actions 
will  then  be  conspicuous.  Red  is  a  good  color  for  fo- 
cusing attention,  but  it  must  be  used  sparingly,  for  it 
has  a  tendency  to  kill  the  influence  of  other  less  com- 
pelling hues. 

Experiment  must  ascertain  color  harmonies  resulting 
from  movement  of  different  groups.  Beegle  and  Craw- 
ford, in  Community  Drama  and  Pageantry,  make  the 
suggestion  that  a  miniature  stage  of  cardboard,  propor- 
tionate in  size  to  the  one  that  will  be  used,  be  con- 
structed and  that  the  movements  of  the  groups  be  rep- 
resented by  the  shifting  of  colored  objects.  Others 
advise  the  use  of  spools  of  silk  corresponding  to  the 
shades  of  group  costumes,  and  for  many  of  the  larger 
productions  dummy  figures  with  accurately  designed 
costumes  have  been  employed  and  shifted  backward 
and  forward  to  ascertain  the  effect  of  every  movement. 

For  the  inexperienced  it  would  be  well  to  select  neu- 
tral shades  as  far  as  possible  in  the  color  scheme.  This 
will  permit  of  a  wider  number  of  safe  color  com- 
binations. When  historical  accuracy  demands  particu- 
lar colors,  then  it  is  best  to  make  the  most  of  the  situa- 
tion and  through  experimentation  determine  the  group- 
ings which  can  be  made  without  discord. 

Music. — Music  often  assumes  more  than  an  inci- 
dental part  in  drama.  It  has  an  important  function 
which  cannot  be  relegated  to  other  stage  arts.  It  is  a 
unifier  which  may  do  away  with  the  footlights  and 
make  players  and  audience  one  through  the  common 
medium  of  song.  It  often  completes  and  joins  differ- 
ent scenes  and  episodes  into  an  organic  whole. 
Through  association  it  creates  local  atmosphere  of  time 
and  place.    It  touches  the  emotions,  suggests  dramatic 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  135 

moods,  and  intensifies  impressions.  When  spoken 
words  fail,  it  goes  beyond  the  Hmits  of  verbal  expres- 
sion and  conveys  the  unuttered  thoughts  of  the  play- 
wright. 

As  costumes,  properties  and  accessories  prepare  a 
stage  for  a  dramatic  presentation,  so  does  music  ar- 
range the  inner  stage  of  emotions.  We  are  prepared 
to  greet  a  change  of  personnel  and  to  view  scenes  quite 
trans  form.ed  when  the  musical  prelude  changes  from 
the  stately  church  hymn  to  a  rollicking  boisterous  song. 
Weird  foreign  chants,  stirring  national  anthems, 
dreamy  serenades,  Scottish  pibrochs  and  quaint  and  at- 
tractive folk  songs  likewise  create  each  its  own  respec- 
tive background.  Whatever  the  desired  mood,  and 
whatever  the  atmosphere  sought,  both  can  be  created 
through  skillful  use  of  music. 

Appropriate  music  influences  the  players,  induces 
spontaneity  of  action,  and  also  draws  players  and  audi- 
ence together  into  an  intimate  and  vital  common  expe- 
rience. The  value  of  music  was  vividly  impressed  upon 
the  mind  of  the  writer  by  the  presentation  of  a  certain 
missionary  pageant.  A  preaching  service  as  conducted 
in  India  was  dramatized.  A  few  young  people  who 
took  the  leading  parts  and  a  chorus  choir  of  sixty 
voices  were  taught,  "Raja  Yisu  Aya,"  the  great  song 
of  the  India  Mass  Movement.  This  was  the  introduc- 
tion given : 

"We  are  in  an  Indian  village.  We  have  no  church 
and  so  must  worship  out  of  doors.  We  are  gathered 
in  a  street  that  we  may  hear  the  message  of  Him  who 
has  promised  to  give  us  soul  peace.  You  are  not  on- 
lookers. For  the  time  you  are  native  Indians.  Those 
of  you  well  up  to  the   front  are  village  Christians. 


136       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

Those  of  you  a  little  farther  back,  sitting  cross-legged 
on  the  ground,  are  inquirers.  You  are  very  much  inter- 
ested and  will  clap  your  hands  and  sing  the  songs  with 
the  others.  Some  of  you  a  little  farther  back  are  sit- 
ting on  fences,  and  some  of  you  way  up  there  (point- 
ing to  the  gallery)  on  the  housetops  are  heathen, 
curious  to  hear  the  story  of  the  missionary  sahib." 

It  is  needless  to  say  *'Raja  Yisu  Aya"  gave  color  to 
the  dramatization,  and  the  other  familiar  hymns  of  the 
church,  woven  into  the  production,  made  the  audience 
feel  an  intimate  and  vital  part  of  the  performance. 
Song  led  all  into  a  new  experience,  permitted  a  sens- 
ing of  the  heart-hunger  of  a  people  for  truth,  and  visu- 
alized the  world  program  of  the  conquering  Christ. 

Whenever  possible  it  is  well  to  compose  new  music. 
Familiar  compositions  because  of  acquired  associations 
may  give  wrong  impressions.  Also  the  work  of  a  local 
composer  is  more  likely  to  be  in  keeping  with  the  motif 
than  any  music  which  may  be  selected.  Even  though 
it  may  not  measure  up  to  the  standard  of  the  master- 
pieces, it  is  an  expression  of  community  life,  and  Edu- 
cational Dramatics  aims  to  encourage  all  such  creative 
effort. 

Makeshifts 

It  is  well  to  bear  in  mind  that  costumes,  properties, 
scenery,  music,  and  lights  are  employed  primarily  to 
create  dramatic  illusion,  and  that  they  exist  not  for 
themselves  but  for  the  sake  of  the  production.  Requi- 
sites ?  Yes,  we  may  call  them  that,  for  in  certain  types 
of  productions  all  may  seem  necessary,  but  they  are 
not  always  essential.  At  times  the  desired  effects  can 
f)e  gained  without  them, 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  137 

In  providing  entertainment  for  the  soldiers  in 
France  adults  were  often  compelled  to  make  believe  in 
the  same  way  that  children  do  in  their  play  life.  In 
one  production  witnessed  by  the  writer  himself,  a 
bench  served  as  a  piano.  Another  bench — which,  by 
the  way,  tipped  up  during  the  performance — was  used 
as  a  banquet  table.  Army  uniforms  were  make-believe 
dress  suits.  An  introduction  something  like  this  was 
given :  *'We  are  now  in  a  luxuriously  furnished  house. 
This  bench  is  a  grand  piano;  this  small  bench  is  a 
Louis  XIV  chair.  We  are  all  society  people  in  even- 
ing dress,  as  you  see.  When  we  go  beyond  this  place 
we  are  supposed  to  be  off  the  stage."  Believe  me,  in 
this  production  dramatic  illusion  suffered  no  loss.  An 
intimacy  between  players  and  audience  was  established 
at  the  outset.  The  spectators  quickly  became  as  one 
with  the  players  and  the  production  was  enjoyed  by 
the  majority  of  the  men  better  than  could  have  been 
one  staged  with  all  the  artistic  helps  known  to  the 
^'professional." 

Clarice  Vallette  McCauley  gives  an  interesting  ex- 
ample of  how,  through  suggestion,  she  was  able  to  use 
the  imagination  of  a  soldier  audience,  allowing  it  to 
furnish  the  proper  mental  background.  "Five  chairs 
only  were  on  the  stage.  The  leading  character  placed 
one  chair  with  its  back  toward  him,  a  second  chair  diag- 
onally away  from  it  the  width  of  an  ordinary  fire- 
place. Then  indicating  with  his  hands  to  the  audience 
he  said,  *This  is  a  fireplace — my  fireplace.  Behold  me 
at  its  hearth.'  He  then  seated  himself,  unfolded  his 
newspaper  and  began  to  read.  His  wife  came  in  and 
in  a  similar  way  used  chairs  for  her  little  set." 

Improper  accessories. — Such  frankness  on  the  part 


138       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

of  the  players  is  preferable  to  trying  to  mislead  the 
audience  by  the  use  of  improper  accessories.  A  com- 
bination of  white  collar  protruding  above  a  Hindu 
dress,  or  mutton-chop  whiskers  on  an  American  In- 
dian, as  described  by  Davol  in  his  Handbook  on  Amer- 
ican Pageantry,  by  their  incongruity  detract  much 
more  from  illusion  than  would  the  frank  absence  of 
special  costumes.  Productions  demanding  national  or 
historical  accuracy  are  better  not  costumed  at  all  than 
costumed  incorrectly. 

Books  for  Reference 

Beegle-Crawford,  Community  Drama  and  Pageantry. 

Barrett  H.  Clark,  How  to  Produce  Amateur  Plays. 

Constance  D'Arcy  Mackay,  How  to  Produce  Chil- 
dren's Plays. 

Hilliard-McCormick-Ogleby,  Amateur  and  Educa- 
tional Dramatics. 

Elizabeth  Erwin  Miller,  The  Dramatization  of  Bible 
Stories. 

Constance  D'Arcy  Mackay,  Costumes  and  Scenery  for 
Amateurs. 

Arthur  Edwin  Krows,  Play  Production  in  America. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  139 


CHAPTER     IX 

ORGANIZATION  FOR  A  LARGE  COMMUNITY 
PAGEANT 

This  chapter  outlines  a  general  plan  of  organization 
often  used  by  those  directing  community  dramas. 
When  adapted  to  local  needs  and  to  the  type  of  pro- 
duction chosen  it  may  prove  helpful.  It  is  in  no  sense, 
however,  a  complete  working  chart.  Those  desiring 
detailed  plans  of  organization  should  consult  the  refer- 
ence books  listed  at  the  close  of  this  chapter. 

Preliminary  Plans 

Community  pageants  cannot  be  "worked  up"  over- 
night. Productions  demanding  the  assistance  of  hun- 
dreds of  participants  and  an  initial  outlay  of  thousands 
of  dollars,  require  several  months  or  a  whole  year  for 
preparation,  that  the  performance  may  be  a  credit  to 
the  community.  Such  a  worthy  and  artistic  presenta- 
tion is  then  the  culmination  of  an  experience  of  edu- 
cational significance  to  the  many  workers,  and  vindi- 
cates its  community  value. 

Sponsoring  organizations. — First,  it  is  essential  that 
one  or  more  representative  organizations  sponsor  the 
dramatic  undertaking.  That  will  assure  it  sound  finan- 
cial backing  and  moral  support.  By  working  through 
certain  key  men  a  hearing  can  usually  be  gained  be- 
fore Ministerial  Associations,  Chambers  of  Commerce, 
Rotary  Clubs,  Women's  Federations,  Choral  Societies, 
and  Art  Groups.    For  propaganda  purposes  it  is  often 


140        PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

advisable  to  secure  "out-of-town"  speakers.  First- 
hand reports  from  other  cities  in  regard  to  the  adver- 
tising values  of  worth-while  productions  will  appeal 
to  business  men,  as  will  statements  in  regard  to  the 
resulting  unifications  of  popular  sentiment  and  the  in- 
terest developed  in  city  problems.  Women's  organiza- 
tions will  be  interested  in  the  social  aspects  of  pagean- 
try; the  church  in  the  religious  and  moral  values 
accruing  from  presentation ;  and  art  groups  in  drama- 
tic technique. 

Publicity. — By  all  means  the  support  of  local  papers 
should  be  solicited.  They  can  give  publicity  to  speakers 
addressing  different  groups  and  can  familiarize  the 
community  as  a  whole  with  the  possibilities  of  dramatic 
presentation.  Usually  they  are  glad  to  accept  apt,  well- 
written  articles. 

The  executive  committee. — After  an  interest  has 
been  stimulated  in  the  proposed  production  and  coop- 
eration of  representative  organizations  has  been  as- 
sured an  executive  committee  should  be  created  to 
assume  general  and  advisory  responsibility  for  the 
pageant.  This  committee  may  be  composed  of  one 
delegated  committeeman  from  each  affiliated  organiza- 
tion. It  should  be  authorized  to  handle  preliminary 
production  matters  and  to  secure  a  director  to  whom 
will  be  assigned  responsibility  for  all  details  of  manage- 
ment, organization,  and  control.  It  should  also  make 
arrangements  for  underwriting  the  necessary  expense 
and  assist  the  director  in  the  selection  of  proper  com- 
mitteemen. 

Production  Personnel 

One  capable  person  can  direct  a  small  play  or  pageant 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  141 

and  look  after  all  details.  It  is  always  well,  however, 
in  a  large  production,  to  divide  the  responsibility.  This 
simplifies  the  work  of  the  director  and  gains  the  inter- 
est of  the  participants.  A  large  community  pageant 
demands  an  efficient  organization,  for  often  a  hundred 
or  more  assistants  are  used  behind  the  scenes,  alone. 
Slipshod  methods  will  not  get  results  here  where  time- 
liness and  accuracy  are  requisites  of  successful  pro- 
duction. A  plan  of  organization  is  essential.  There 
must  be  the  directing  hand  of  an  authority  capable  of 
rendering  decisions  and  of  assigning  specific  tasks  to 
responsible  lieutenants  and  heads  of  committees. 
Minor  directors  in  turn  must  assume  responsibility. 

The  pageant  director. — The  director  is  to  the  pag- 
eant as  is  the  general  to  the  army.  While  himself  ac- 
countable to  those  who  have  given  him  authority,  he  is 
nevertheless  responsible  for  the  entire  organization  and 
control.  He  is  the  supervisor,  the  court  of  final  ap- 
peal, the  far-seeing  leader.  As  commander-in-chief  he 
must  be  the  type  of  man  who  will  easily  win  the  sup- 
port and  confidence  of  his  associates,  for  much  depends 
upon  harmonious  relationships.  A  successful  produc- 
tion will  be  impossible  otherwise.  He  must  know  not 
only  the  technique  and  sesthetic  side  of  producing  but 
also  the  practical.  He  is  both  dramatic  coach  and  pro- 
moter. 

He  outHnes  the  plan  of  organization,  appoints  com- 
mittees and  subcommittees,  delegates  certain  tasks  to 
particular  groups,  and  then  sees  that  the  work  assigned 
is  properly  carried  out.  He  is  the  master  mind,  the 
one  who  directs,  and,  like  a  great  musician,  he  must 
be  capable  of  detecting  the  slightest  discord  whether 
in  script,  stage-setting,  or  among  the  participants. 


142        PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

The  business  manager. — The  business  manager 
appointed  by  the  executive  committee  attends  to  the 
collection  and  expenditure  of  money,  publicity,  selec- 
tion and  preparation  of  the  place  for  the  performance, 
methods  of  selling  the  tickets,  and  all  the  business  in  the 
"front  of  the  house."  Specific  tasks  are  delegated  to 
trained  individuals.  A  leading  banker  may  act  as 
treasurer.  He  is  accustomed  to  keeping  accounts  in  a 
systematic,  businesslike  manner  and  has  no  conscien- 
tious scruples  about  refusing  bills  which  are  not  ap- 
proved by  the  director.  He  also  serves  as  a  check  on 
the  committees,  that  they  may  not  exceed  their  separate 
budgets.  A  house  or  ground  committee  makes  suitable 
arrangements  for  the  place  of  production,  building  the 
stage,  arranging  the  seating,  etc.,  and  also  is  responsi- 
ble for  ushers,  ticket-sellers,  and  marshals.  Every  city 
has  men  who  are  promoters — salesmen,  newspaper  re- 
porters, and  advertisement  writers.  These  men  under 
the  supervision  of  the  director  can  "sell  the  pageant  to 
the  community."  Enlisting  the  sympathy  of  the  people 
is  indeed  a  salesmanship  proposition  and  will  need 
newspaper  help,  bulletins,  posters,  and  personal  adver- 
tising. 

The  stage  manager. — The  stage  manager  ap- 
pointed by  the  director  is  an  assistant  with  specific 
tasks.  The  nature  of  these  is  determined  by  the  size 
and  type  of  the  performance.  He  is  the  stage  engi- 
neer, the  one  who  controls  the  mechanics  of  the  pro- 
duction. He  is  responsible,  through  his  helpers,  for 
such  details  as  the  raising  and  lowering  of  the  curtains, 
shifting  of  scenes  and  properties,  lighting  effects,  en- 
trance and  exits  of  participants,  order  and  discipline 
behind  the  scenes  at  rehearsal  and  during  the  perform- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  143 

ances.  He  must  be  familiar  with  all  stage  business, 
script,  cues,  and  action,  and  see  that  the  production 
goes  off  smoothly. 

Always  he  works  in  close  harmony  with  the  director. 
During  the  rehearsals  he  may  take  full  charge  in  the 
absence  of  the  director.  He  must  be  firm  and  prac- 
tical, and  yet  approachable — the  type  of  a  man  to 
smooth  out  disturbances  and  relieve  embarrassment 
through  his  geniality  and  force  of  character. 

Personnel  committee. — It  is  no  difficult  task  to 
get  together  a  sufficient  cast  for  a  production  w^hich 
has  been  properly  advertised  and  which  meets  with  the 
approval  of  the  community.  Local  advisers,  however, 
familiar  with  local  talent,  should  assist  the  director  to 
select  and  interest  those  who  will  be  most  suitable  for 
the  different  parts.  For  the  minor  roles  an  appeal  can 
be  made  to  the  sponsoring  organizations. 

When  the  local  advisory  group  has  summoned  avail- 
able players  these  should  be  chosen  by  the  director  for 
their  parts.  Final  decision  is  always  vested  in  the 
director.  In  passing  let  me  w^arn  against  promises  or 
hopes  held  out  by  those  in  less  authority. 

The  costtmie  manager. — The  costume  manager,  un- 
der supervision  of  the  director,  plans  the  costumes, 
assists  in  their  making,  and  through  his  assistants  has 
charge  of  the  make  up  and  dressing  rooms.  Strict 
systematizing  is  imperative  in  handling  and  storage  of 
costumes.  All  costume  belongings  of  each  character 
should  be  bundled  and  the  bundle  tagged.  The  tag 
should  be  clearly  numbered  and  marked  with  the  name 
of  the  character,  and  of  the  player.  (The  Educational 
Players  of  New  York  City  store  each  costume  and  all 
accessories  in  specially  made  envelope  bags  fitted  with 


144       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

inner  pockets  for  shoes,  belts,  gloves,  etc.)  Players 
are  assigned  numbers  and  each  player  is  made  responsi- 
ble for  the  completeness  of  his  bundle.  Those  who 
have  helped  the  costume  department  during  rehearsals 
should  attend  the  dressing  rooms  during  the  perform- 
ance. The  dressing  rooms  should  be  absolutely  closed 
to  outsiders,  friends,  relatives,  and  visitors. 

The  property  manager. — The  property  manager 
with  his  assistants,  following  a  list  from  the  script, 
makes,  hires,  or  borrows  locally  the  smaller  articles 
required  in  the  sets  and  for  the  use  of  the  players — 
flags,  curtains,  chairs,  rugs,  pistols,  wands,  etc.  After 
the  properties  have  been  provided  it  is  the  duty  of  the 
property  manager  to  see  that  they  are  properly  dis- 
tributed for  use,  collected  after  performances,  and 
arranged  in  an  orderly  manner  so  that  there  will  be 
no  confusion  in  distribution  at  the  next  performance. 

Manager  of  lights. — Many  "effects"  require  col- 
ored lights  and  elaborate  shadings.  For  these  expert 
artistic  and  technical  efficiency  is  required.  The  lights 
department  must  be  approved  by  the  local  fire  authori- 
ties. It  may  be  necessary  on  the  part  of  an  amateur 
or  even  a  professional  to  experiment  time  and  time 
again  before  the  proper  color  impression  is  made.  Af- 
ter such  has  been  done  the  cues  for  dimming  and  chang- 
ing lights  should  be  studied  so  that  there  may  be  no 
hesitancy  or  embarrassment  to  the  participants  caused 
by  bungling  or  bad  management.  It  is  imperative  to 
rehearse  lights  sufficiently  before  the  first  performance. 
Sometimes  a  special  dress  rehearsal  in  preparation  for 
the  general  dress  rehearsal  is  required. 

Musical  director. — Music  usually  takes  an  important 
place  in  pageantry.     A  chorus  of  a  thousand  or  more 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  145 

voices  and  a  large  symphony  orchestra  may  be  re- 
quired. The  need  of  a  musical  director  is  evident. 
He  should  be  capable  of  enlisting  the  proper  personnel. 
He  should  also  be  able  to  compose  music  as  may  be  re- 
quired, transpose,  and  adapt.  He,  of  course,  works  in 
accord  with  the  general  director,  and  is  under  his 
authority. 

Books  for  Reference 

Beegle-Crawford,  Community  Drama  and  Pageantry. 

Constance  D'Arcy  Mackay,  Patriotic  Drama  in  Your 
Town. 

Clarice  Vallette  McCauley,  How  to  Produce  The 
Seeker. 

Barrett  H.  Clark,  How  to  Produce  Amateur  Plays. 

Emma  Sheridan  Fry,  Educational  Dramatics. 

Arthur  Edwin  Krows,  Play  Production  in  America. 

Hilliard-McCormick-Ogleby,  Amateur  and  Educa- 
tional Dramatics. 

Bartholomew  and  Lawrence,  Music  for  Everybody. 


146       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

CHAPTER     X 

TYPES  OF  DRAMATIC  PRODUCTIONS 

Types  of  dramatic  expression  are  naturally  classi- 
fied in  two  general  groups.  In  one  group  individuals 
assume  the  dramatic  roles.  In  the  other  the  roles  are 
delegated  to  an  inanimate  stage  personnel.  Musical 
drama,  exclusively  religious  productions,  and  "screen" 
plays  deserve  special  consideration  and  are  here  classi- 
fied as  special  types. 

Individuals  as  Players 

Individuals  serve  in  one  capacity  or  another  as 
players  in  nearly  all  dramatic  types  other  than  puppet 
plays  and  similar  productions. 

Tableaux.  — An  interesting,  and  if  properly  pre- 
sented, educationally  significant  form  of  dramatization 
is  the  tableau.  The  French  words  tableaux  vivant — 
"living  pictures" — express  very  well  the  idea.  The 
tableau  has  artistic  possibilities,  and  makes  a  strong 
appeal  to  the  eye  and  to  the  aesthetic  nature.  At  the 
same  time  participants  may  benefit  in  such  presentation 
of  fact  and  interpretation  of  character  if  correct  edu- 
cational methods  are  used. 

"Picture  posing"  is  one  of  the  simplest  forms  this 
type  of  expression  may  take.  By  posing  and  gesture 
an  attempt  is  made  to  visualize  with  a  "stage  picture" 
some  work  of  art.  Nothing  makes  children  look  at  a 
picture  more  intently  than  to  know  that  they,  taking 
the  part  of  the  figures,  are  to  attempt  a  living  repre- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  147 

sentation  of  it.  Intensive  study  will  be  given  to  group- 
ings, postures,  attitudes,  costumes,  draperies,  back- 
grounds, etc.,  that  the  pictorial  composition  of  the 
original  may  be  duplicated.  Aside  from  the  dramatic 
values  of  such  a  study  and  acting,  an  understanding  is 
given  of  some  of  the  underlying  principles  of  painting 
and  an  appreciation  of  masterpieces  of  art.  Improvis- 
ing costumes,  properties,  and  backgrounds  also  affords 
opportunity  for  expression. 

Much  attention  is  given  to  pictures  in  the  primary 
grades  of  the  day  schools,  their  values  as  educational 
agencies  being  fully  recognized.  The  Sunday  school 
also  has  always  been  especially  interested  in  pictures. 
Fine  reproductions  of  paintings  are  being  furnished 
to  illustrate  Bible  lesson  stories.  In  nearly  every  Pri- 
mary Department  such  pictures  hang  on  the  walls  of 
the  classrooms.  Certain  of  them  could  serve  as  "pic- 
ture-posing" models. 

In  England,  notably  at  Saint  Johns,  Kennington, 
and  at  Saint  Clements,  City  Road,  London;  also,  All 
Saints'  Church,  Wribbenhall,  much  attention  is  given 
to  the  portrayal  of  religious  facts  in  tableaux.  A  series 
of  connected  incidents  as  described  in  the  Scriptures  is 
usually  taken  as  the  subject  for  visualization.  Many 
times  the  works  of  the  old  masters  are  copied — some- 
times so  accurately  that  photographs  taken  of  such 
"stage  pictures"  closely  resemble  the  original  works  of 
art.  A  harmonious  spirit  is  invoked  by  the  reading 
of  suitable  passages  from  the  Scriptures  during  the 
display  of  a  picture-pose.  Fitting  music  may  com- 
plete the  desired  effect.  By  such  means  it  is  said  that 
the  laboring  peoples  of  Kennington  and  City  Road  are 
profoundly  moved  and,  indeed,  translated  from  sordid 


148       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

and  often  miserable  surroundings  into  an  apprecia- 
tion of  the  sublimity  of  Christ's  character  and  of  his 
mission.  Thus  are  Christian  facts  invitingly  presented 
in  an  age  of  commercialism,  and  a  spirit  of  reverence 
summoned  which  not  only  lasts  throughout  the  per- 
formance but  manifests  itself  in  transformed  lives.  A 
description  of  one  such  series  of  tableaux  presented 
at  the  country  parish  of  Wribbenhall  in  England  with 
photographs  of  the  attempted  reproductions  is  given  by 
John  K.  C.  Chesshire  in  Bethlehem  Tableaux.  Those 
interested  in  such  form  of  presentation  will  find  this 
work  suggestive. 

The  pantomime. — Pantomime,  or  dumb  show,  as  it 
once  was  called  in  England,  appears  in  so  many  differ- 
ent forms  that  to  describe  it  intelligently  is  difficult. 
It  has  been  anything  from  dancing  of  the  most  sensu- 
ous and  vulgar  type  to  the  mute  impersonation  of  bib- 
lical scenes,  characterized  by  the  highest  quality  of 
devotional  spirit. 

The  Roman  pantomime  was  a  spectacular  form  of 
dramatic  entertainment  in  which  the  actor  or  actors 
interpreted  mythological  stories  through  gesticulation 
and  dancing  accompanied  by  chorus  singing.  Panto- 
mime in  England  is  closely  associated  with  the  festi- 
vals of  the  Christmas  season,  and  such  stories  as  Alad- 
din, Blue  Beard,  Cinderella,  Little  Red  Riding-Hood, 
and  Mother  Goose  characterizations  are  acted  out. 
These  performances  are  especially  intended  for  the 
amusement  and  entertainment  of  the  children. 

Pantomime  may  be  adapted  to  simplest  home  produc- 
tions. The  mother  may  sing  or  read  the  story  while 
the  children  depict  it,  using  their  own  initiative  in  in- 
terpretation,  costuming,   and  other  details.      Stories 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  149 

may  thus  be  acted  time  and  time  again,  since  the  child 
at  the  age  when  this  type  of  acting  is  usually  carried 
on  enjoys  the  repetition.  As  in  the  case  of  stories,  the 
old  ones,  certain  favorites  almost  known  by  heart,  are 
liked  best. 

Miss  Elisabeth  Edland  uses  pantomime  successfully 
in  connection  with  the  classroom  work  of  the  church 
school.  She  has  also  given  public  performances,  sev- 
eral being  presented  at  Wanamaker's  in  New  York 
city.  The  children,  under  direction,  have  taken  charge 
of  these  productions,  designed  the  costumes,  inter- 
preted characters,  and  at  times  even  written  the  script. 

Dr.  John  G.  Benson  while  pastor  of  the  First  Meth- 
odist Church  in  Brazil,  Indiana,  utilized  to  good  ad- 
vantage the  dramatic  instinct  of  high-school  pupils. 
He  afforded  them  an  opportunity  to  act  out  biblical 
scenes  in  pantomime.  This  became  a  source  of  pleas- 
urable recreation,  broke  up  a  dancing  craze,  and  gave 
a  knowledge  of  biblical  history  which  could  hardly 
have  been  attained  except  through  Educational  Dra- 
matics. The  great  leaders  of  Israel  thus  imitated  be- 
came other  than  uninteresting  characters  of  a  forgot- 
ten age.  For  these  students  they  lived  again  as 
realities. 

Charades. — "Let's  play  charades"  is  usually  the 
suggestion  of  some  person  when  the  anxious  query, 
"What  shall  we  do?"  is  put  to  a  waiting  and  expectant 
crowd.  The  charade  is  an  old  favorite — often  a  friend 
in  time  of  need.  In  all  probability  it  has  saved  more 
social  functions  from  being  dismal  failures  than  any 
other  group  activity.  To  play  charades  the  crowd 
is  usually  divided  into  two  groups.  One  of  these 
groups  secretly  chooses  some 'word  whose  syllables  can 


I50       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

be  acted  out.  The  other  group  or  groups  endeavor 
to  guess  what  is  being  represented. 

In  playing  charades  it  is  customary  to  state  whether 
the  word  is  a  common  or  a  proper  noun,  and  the  num- 
ber of  syllables.  Each  syllable  is  acted  out  separately, 
and  then  the  idea  of  the  whole  word  is  conveyed 
through  action.  Perhaps  those  who  are  unfamiliar 
with  charades  will  understand  the  methods  employed 
better  if  an  illustration  is  given.  The  following  char- 
ade was  acted  out  by  missionaries  staying  for  a  time 
at  that  delightful  home  for  Christian  workers  just  out- 
side New  York  city — Wallace  Lodge.  The  word 
chosen  was  *^Springer" — acted  out  (spring-her). 
The  announcer  stated :  We  will  act  out  a  proper  noun 
of  two  syllables.  This  is  my  first  (several  men 
hopped  across  the  stage).  This  is  my  second  (a 
woman  walked  across  the  platform).  This  is  my 
whole  (Dr.  John  M.  Springer,  one  of  the  pioneer 
missionaries  of  Africa,  who  was  present,  then  ap- 
peared). 

Stunts. — Under  this  head  should  be  classed  the 
great  variety  of  fun  provoking  dramatizations  common 
to  college  literary  societies,  clubs,  lodges,  and  young 
people's  organizations.  One  who  has  attended  a  Chris- 
tian Endeavor  or  Epworth  League  Institute,  or  taken 
part  in  a  stunt  night  at  a  Y.  M.  C.  A.  or  Y.  W.  C.  A. 
Summer  Conference  knows  full  well  the  value  of  such 
spontaneous  dramatic  programs.  Recreation  may  be 
the  primary  motive,  but  such  amusement  unifies  all 
through  the  medium  of  laughter  and  cooperative  effort. 

The  great  number  and  variety  of  these  performances 
prohibit  a  lengthy  discussion  of  each.  First,  there  is 
the  minstrel  show.    Who  has  not  joyfully  and  uncon- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  151 

sciously  borne  evidence  on  inaccessible  parts  of  his  phys- 
iognomy of  a  production  staged  several  days  previous? 
Then  there  are  the  mock  dramatizations — the  trials, 
chapel  services,  political  conventions,  oratorical  con- 
tests, circuses,  sessions  of  school,  orchestra  concerts, 
pipe  organ  selections,  art  exhibits,  children's  parties, 
county  fairs,  baby  shows,  and  wedding  ceremonies. 
*'Take  offs"  on  individuals  furnish  no  end  of  amuse- 
ment. Eccentricities  can  be  magnified  in  such  a  way 
that  even  the  person  mimicked  must  laugh  at  the  char- 
acterizations. Short  comedy  sketches,  laughable  little 
skits,  harmless  burlesques,  and  pantomimic  interpreta- 
tions likewise  may  well  have  place  on  stunt-night  pro- 
grams. 

The  masque. — Masques  are  dramatic  productions 
which  transcend  the  actual  and  by  symbolism  deal  with 
the  ideal  and  fanciful,  introducing  fairies,  spirits  of 
nature,  and  personified  qualities  such  as  Happiness, 
Hope,  and  Love. 

In  the  simplest  form  of  the  masque — that  used  by 
teachers  in  kindergarten  and  in  the  Beginners'  Depart- 
ments of  church  schools — children  imitate  the  pro- 
cesses of  nature.  They  sleep  like  flowers  during  the 
storms  of  winter,  covered  and  protected  by  the  leaves 
of  the  forest.  They  stir  themselves  when  the  wind 
whispers  that  spring  is  near.  At  first  peeping  out, 
later  becoming  more  confident,  they  raise  their  heads 
and  sway  back  and  forth  to  the  music  of  the  birds  in 
June  time.  Animals  likewise  are  impersonated.  As 
birds,  the  children  chirp  and  hop.  They  fly  as  butter- 
flies. Such  action  is  spontaneous,  done  without  even 
suggestion  from  the  teacher.  A  little  child  at  this 
age  sees  no  incongruity  in  being  a  tree  in  such  make- 


152       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

believe  masque  play.  Children  readily  welcome  the 
idea  that  flowers  and  forces  of  nature  breathe,  sing, 
and  sleep  just  like  people. 

The  masque  serves  well  the  joyous  "out-of-door'* 
festivals — such  as  the  May  Day  fete — since  any  other 
language  than  poetry  and  any  other  stage  than  that 
beneath  the  open  sky  has  a  tendency  to  drive  away 
the  fairies  and  wood  nymphs,  jolly  little  brownies  and 
peculiar  little  gnomes.  Festal  days  without  these 
would  have  no  sunshine  and  flowers  and  music,  and  so 
could  not  be  festal  days  at  all.  Who  could  think  of 
the  spritelike  characters  in  a  drama  of  Spring  as 
speaking  in  other  than  rhythmic  language?  Prose 
would  seem  harsh  and  discordant.  Fairies  wear  dainty 
slippers,  not  wooden  shoes,  and  dance  best  to  lyric 
melodies. 

The  morality  play  is  a  different  form  of  masque. 
Moralities  may  very  well  be  called  dramatic  sermon- 
ettes,  since  they  have  long  been  used  as  polemics 
against  heresies,  and  also  to  other  good  advantages  by 
the  church,  both  Protestant  and  Catholic,  to  inculcate 
Christian  virtues.  Of  the  types  which  have  been  really 
constructive  in  their  influence  Bunyan's  Pilgrim's  Pro- 
gress is  a  very  good  example.  It,  like  many  others, 
pictures  the  struggles  of  a  soul  against  the  personified 
forces  of  evil.  Later  moralities,  especially  those  of 
our  own  day,  are  more  simple  than  the  masterpiece  of 
Bunyan,  and  yet  similar  in  content. 

The  play. — At  the  word  ''play"  many  pious  people 
hold  up  their  hands  in  horror  and  say,  "Impossible! 
We  couldn't  even  consider  such  a  thing  for  our 
church,"  and  yet  the  same  production  under  the  name 
of  a  pageant  raises  no  question.    So  is  nearly  all  dra- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  153 

matic  expression  dismissed.  Association  with  the  pro- 
fessional stage  has  branded  any  reference  to  drama  or 
dramatics.  Now  a  play  is  a  play  whether  it  is  good  or 
bad,  whether  it  is  produced  in  the  church  auditorium 
or  on  a  Broadway  stage,  and  since  no  one  has  given  the 
educational  play  any  other  appellation  which  distin- 
guishes it,  we  must  of  necessity  discuss  it  under  that 
name  *Tlay." 

There  is  nothing  in  the  form  of  a  play  which  differ- 
entiates it  discreditably  from  other  dramatic  forms. 
True,  it  has  a  plot  with  its  introduction,  complications, 
climax,  and  denouement,  but  so  have  many  short 
stories,  and  they  are  not  taboo.  Pageant  drama,  which 
shares  many  of  the  characteristics  of  the  play  (it  dif- 
fers in  few  other  points  than  in  its  episodic  nature  and 
its  looseness  of  structure),  also  meets  the  approval  of 
church  people  who  are  at  all  interested  in  the  drama. 
Likewise  the  subjectmatter  of  the  play  does  not  justify 
faulty  criticism,  for  a  wide  range  of  choice  is  open. 
Almost  any  subject  may  be  treated,  and  treated  in  any 
number  of  ways.  Surely,  there  can  be  nothing  intrin- 
sically wrong  with  a  religious  or  moral  theme  or  plot. 

The  play  productions  of  the  professional  stage  need 
not  concern  us  here.  As  has  been  said,  they  are  pro- 
moted for  an  altogether  different  purpose  than  that  in 
which  we  are  interested.  This  also  is  no  place  for  the 
discussion  of  the  values  of  Educational  Dramatics. 
That  has  been  treated  elsewhere.  All  we  need  to  say 
here  is  that  if  dramatic  expression  may  be  regulated 
to  educational  purpose,  there  can  be  no  objection  to  the 
use  of  suitable  plays  to  serve  that  purpose. 

The  play  is  a  powerful  means  of  expressing  human 
emotions.     It  has  been  perfected  in  a  way  different 


154       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

from  that  of  many  of  the  other  dramatic  types.  In 
the  hands  of  those  who  have  evil  intentions,  or  no 
intentions  other  than  those  v^hich  are  commercial,  its 
harmful  effects  can  well  be  imagined.  The  same  quali- 
ties, however,  which  make  it  a  sharpened  instrument 
of  evil  also  make  it  a  weapon  of  righteousness.  Its 
structure  is  such  that  it  leaves  out  the  unessential  and 
by  means  of  artistic  devices  burns  in  its  theme.  An 
impression  is  made  on  the  inner  life  of  the  observer. 
In  the  language  of  the  stage  it  "gets  him."  In  those 
churches  which  resent,  yet  need  the  emotional  stimulus 
which  was  once  evoked  by  the  impassioned  pulpit,  it 
can  speak;  for  it  has  power  to  reach  the  higher  emo- 
tions in  a  way  that  is  not  offensive.  It  offers  a  means 
of  moving  indifferent  men  to  action. 

The  pageant. — It  seems  that  popular  opinion  would 
make  the  pageant  the  Bolshevist  of  drama.  Nearly 
everything  radical  which  looks  as  though  it  might 
overthrow  the  old  order  of  producing  is  so  named.  As 
a  result  no  one  seems  to  be  certain  what  a  pageant  is. 
People  can  tell  what  European  pageantry  has  been,  but 
the  American  sister  has  acted  so  strangely  that  there 
is  some  doubt  about  her  essential  characteristics.  Un- 
like some  dramatic  forms,  she  did  not  spring  full- 
grown  from  the  brow  of  man;  and  it  can  hardly  be  said 
that  she  has  reached  the  stage  which  Topsy  called 
"growed  up."  She  is  one  of  the  youngest  of  the  arts — 
just  developing,  and  as  yet,  like  a  young  girl,  makes 
promise  only  of  the  beauty  which  some  day  may  be  hers 
if  her  development  is  not  retarded. 

In  large  measure,  her  favorite  moods  have  already 
been  described  and  appropriate  names  given  to  them. 
She  imitates  all   other   dramatic  arts — the   Masque, 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  155 

the  Morality,  the  Dance,  the  Play,  the  Musical  Dramas, 
the  Processional,  the  Passion  Play,  and  many  others. 
Perhaps  it  will  not  be  tiresome,  however,  to  describe 
her  in  another  way  than  has  already  been  done.  It 
may  give  some  idea  of  the  many  forms  she  may 
assume. 

She  has  gone  out  into  the  green  fields  and  danced 
with  the  fairies,  now  lazily  drifted  along  like  a  fleecy 
cloud  to  the  rhythm  of  dreamy  music ;  and  now,  chang- 
ing form  and  costume,  lightly  and  blithely  skipped  to 
the  melody  of  rippling  waters.  Some  have  labeled 
her  in  this  mood  Interpretive  Movement. 

At  times  she  has  become  quite  dignified  and  serious ; 
so  Puritanical  that  one  almost  feels  like  calling  her 
Prudence  instead  of  Morality,  the  name  she  com- 
monly goes  by  when  she  assumes  that  air  and  mysteri- 
ously ushers  in  all  the  virtues  and  vices  that  one  may 
be  able  to  know  them  and  save  his  soul  from  the  dam- 
nation of  evil. 

As  Miss  History  she  sedately  opens  books  and  points 
out  bright-colored  pictures,  showing  the  people  of  all 
ages — the  savages  in  their  native  dress,  early  colonists 
in  their  homespuns,  soldiers  in  brilliant-hued  uniforms, 
and  beautiful  women  dressed  in  strange  and  picturesque 
costumes. 

Often  as  the  child  of  the  street  she  marches  to  the 
sound  of  martial  music  and  gayly  waves  her  hands  as 
she  leads  column  after  column  of  khaki-clad  soldiers; 
or,  forgetting  her  dignity,  she  may  act  as  drum  major 
for  a  ''callithumpian  procession"  or  a  circus  parade ;  or, 
remembering  past  history,  she  may,  ingeniously,  use 
all  her  talents  in  designing  beautifully  decorated, 
flowered  floats. 


^ 


156       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

Every  mood  that  has  ever  been  portrayed  through 
drama  she  attempts.  She  sings,  she  takes  the  role  of 
the  tragedian,  and  at  times  has  even  gone  so  far  as  to 
try  "slap-stick  comedy."  Perhaps  you  can  tell  what 
she  will  be  when  she  gets  "growed  up." 

Dramatic  cast  reading.— Emma  Sheridan  Fry 
while  director  of  the  Educational  Dramatic  League  de- 
veloped a  type  of  drama  of  especial  value  to  the 
church  and  kindred  organizations  which  are  limited  by 
platform  space  and  stage  equipment.  She  first 
brought  the  Winter's  Tale  into  this  dramatic  cast  read- 
ing form  of  play  arrangement.  Under  her  direction 
it  was  later  developed  to  a  practical  completeness  by 
the  Educational  players  who  made  readings  of  it  for 
churches,  schools,  club,  and  the  Board  of  Education. 
She  has  since  advantageously  employed  this  method 
of  presentation  with  other  plays  and  players.  She 
thus  describes  this  new  dramatic  form,  its  presenta- 
tion method,  and  its  advantages. 

"The  story  of  the  play  is  told  by  a  single  reader  in 
text  harmonious  with  the  quality  and  style  of  the  play 
itself.  Embedded  in  this  story  text  is  the  dialogue. 
The  play  thus  runs  in  an  unbroken  stream,  part  of  it 
told  by  the  characters  themselves  in  dramatic  speech, 
part  of  it  by  the  story  reader. 

"The  advantages  of  such  presentation  are  obvious. 
It  makes  possible  a  condensation  without  loss  of  clarity 
or  dramatic  value.  It  affords  opportunity  to  comment 
and  guide,  to  set  forth  the  content  of  the  play  in  sym- 
pathetic light,  and  to  stress  values,  protect  delicacies, 
and  guard  against  misunderstandings. 

"Production  is  characterized  by  its  simplicity.  There 
is  no  scenery,  no  character  costuming,  or  other  pro- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  157 

duction  expense.  Rehearsals  are  reduced  to  the  mini- 
mum. The  time  is  spent  on  the  study  of  the  play  and 
characters,  not  on  the  detail  of  production. 

"Distinct  play  and  entertainment  values  accrue  in 
such  presentation.  Plays  requiring  heavy  production 
effects  or  massive  crowd  work  may  be  brought  with- 
out loss  of  entertainment  value  within  the  classroom 
or  platform  limit.  Each  reader  characterizes  his  part. 
Yet  the  presentation  remains  a  reading.  Detail  of  act- 
ing, and  all  the  give-and-take  of  production  activity  is 
avoided.  Readers  may  readily,  at  different  presenta- 
tions, read  different  'parts.'  Physical  fitness,  or  even 
sex,  is  not  a  limitation  as  in  an  acting  production. 

"In  presentation  the  cast  with  manuscripts  open  are 
seated  in  a  semicircle.  They  may  be  robed  in  flowing 
gowns,  all  alike  in  pattern  and  color.  The  story  reader 
stands  at  one  end  of  the  platform.  He  begins  with 
explanations  in  dramatic  story  form  of  the  play,  lead- 
ing swiftly  to  the  characters  themselves,  who  in  turn 
speak  as  the  story  calls  upon  them.  Formalities  of 
entrance  to  the  platform,  music,  and  other  observances 
may  lend  dignity  to  the  presentations.  Simple  cast 
reading,  however,  with  the  readers  seated  at  their  ac- 
customed desks  in  the  school  room,  does  not  fail  in  its 
dramatic  appeal." 

Inanimate  Stage  Personnel 

Inanimate  stage  personnel  dramatization  is  common 
to  children  the  world  over.  Much  of  it  can  be  classed 
as  doll  play.  It,  however,  assumes  many  distinct 
forms,  and  often,  as  in  the  case  with  the  puppets,  at- 
tracts the  attention  of  adults. 

Puppet  play. — Puppets  are  not  new  creations.    Peo- 


158       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

pie  of  nearly  all  countries  have  employed  them  in  dra- 
matic play.  An  almost  infinite  variety  of  these  inani- 
mate stage  personnel  have  been  fashioned.  Some  of 
them  have  been  stiff  and  stolid,  nothing  more  than 
crude  dolls.  Others  have  been  cut  from  the  hide  of 
animals  and  used  in  connection  v^ith  shadow-play  pro- 
ductions. Great  skill  and  dexterity  has  been  mani- 
fested in  fashioning  and  manipulating  the  jointed 
variety.  Some  have  been  ingeniously  controlled  by 
overhead  wires;  others,  held  in  the  hand,  by  small  jerk 
wires  pulled  by  the  thumb  and  fingers. 

In  speaking  of  puppets,  most  of  us  at  once  think  of 
Punch-and-Judy  shows.  We  do  our  little  friends  of 
the  stage  an  injustice  to  classify  them  all  as  comedy 
actors.  Serious  and  even  religious  themes  have  been 
successfully  acted  out.  Marionettes  were  originally 
little  images  of  the  Virgin.  During  the  seventeenth 
century  puppet  shows  built  around  the  miracle  and 
morality  plays  were  very  common.  At  a  later  date 
such  plays  as  those  of  Shakespeare  and  Moliere  were 
given  public  production.  Some  of  the  better  play- 
wrights regarded  such  performances  so  highly  that 
they  paid  no  little  attention  to  wTiting  of  suitable 
texts. 

One  so  inclined  can  see  puppet  dramatizations  of 
the  old  SiciHan  epics  in  nearly  any  of  our  larger  cities. 
The  Italian  people  have  brought  with  them  to  this 
country  this  remnant  of  their  ''festal  heritage."  Night 
after  night  the  kings,  queens,  devils,  knaves,  giants, 
and  angels  of  the  puppet  world  perform.  So  much  do 
they  build  themselves  into  the  life  of  the  people  that 
the  demise  of  a  noble  character  causes  real  grief.  He 
has  been  a  hero  in  the  "land  of  dreams"  and  will  no 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  159 

longer  be  seen.  It  is  the  loss  of  an  intimate  com- 
panion. 

A  movement  is  under  way  which  seeks  to  revive  an 
interest  in  puppet  drama.  Such  plays  as  **The  Mid- 
summer Night's  Dream"  have  been  staged  and  staged 
artistically.  Several  companies  are  on  the  road.  Many 
effects  are  possible  in  such  performances  that  cannot 
readily  be  gained  in  other  types  of  dramatization. 
Diminutive  and  glimmering  fairies  with  silvery  wings 
can  float  unexpectedly  in  view  and  as  mysteriously  dis- 
appear. And  dwarfs,  brownies,  and  other  fanciful  peo- 
ple of  the  wonder  world  can  perform  character  roles 
in  keeping  with  their  peculiarities.  The  new  art  of  the 
theater  with  its  few  properties,  neutral  backgrounds, 
and  soft  lightings,  makes  fitting  settings  for  such  per- 
formances. 

Bottle  dolls  and  projects. — Forbush,  in  his  Man- 
ual of  Stories,  has  shown  how,  in  the  present  day,  pup- 
pets may  be  used  to  good  effect  to  illustrate  story- 
telling. Bottles  dressed  as  dolls  serve  as  miniature 
stage  personnel.  While  the  story  is  told  they  are 
moved  about  on  a  table  by  the  story-teller.  Mary 
Lowe,  who  originated  the  idea  of  the  bottle  dolls,  and 
whose  methods  of  making  them,  introducing  them, 
moving  them,  and  assisting  the  children  themselves  in 
telling  the  stories  are  described  by  Forbush,  has  done 
valuable  experimental  work  of  a  practical  nature.  In 
one  village  nearly  all  the  children  occupied  themselves 
making  the  dolls. 

To  some  extent  already  church-school  leaders  have 
encouraged  the  project  method  of  teaching  which  uses 
a  similar  type  of  dramatization.  Tiny  character  dolls 
which  may  be  costumed  to  represent  biblical  and  mis- 


i6o       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

sionary  heroes  have  been  suppHed  and  suggestions  have 
been  given  as  to  methods  by  which  children  may  be 
interested  in  doing  the  necessary  handwork,  such  as 
fashioning  houses,  rivers,  mountains,  trees,  etc.,  to 
use  with  the  dolls  in  the  dramatization  of  the  lessons. 

As  material  for  such  project  studies  in  public  and 
church  schools,  paper  figures  have  been  torn  out  and 
cut  out,  plasticine  and  wood  representations  have  been 
modeled  and  carved,  papier  mache  has  been  used  ex- 
tensively, and  in  some  of  the  larger  projects  similar 
to  those  described  by  H.  Caldwell  Cook  in  The  Play 
Way,  both  sand  tables  and  ground  out-of-doors  have 
been  made  fields  for  representing  natural  features. 
Illustrative  Handwork  for  Elementary  Subjects  and 
Primary  Handwork,  two  illuminating  books  written 
by  Ella  Victoria  Dobbs,  assistant  professor  of  manual 
arts  in  the  University  of  Missouri,  will  prove  sugges- 
tive for  mothers  and  teachers  of  elementary  pupils 
alike  contemplating  such  forms  of  expressional  work. 
The  pictures  taken  of  the  projects  carried  out  by  the 
children  and  the  vivid  descriptions  of  methods  em- 
ployed in  encouraging  the  activities  make  the  books 
especially  valuable. 

The  naturalness  and  suitability  of  this  method  of 
teaching  is  evidenced  by  an  observation  of  child  play. 
Those  advocating  projects  can  hardly  be  considered 
creators.  They  have  but  put  to  educational  use  a  com- 
mon form  of  expression.  Even  we  who  were  so 
unfortunate  as  to  be  born  before  school  and  church  cur- 
ricula were  made  pleasant,  were  on  our  own  initia- 
tive educating  ourselves  without  the  aid  of  teachers — 
making  clothes  pins  stuck  together  simulate  horses, 
cutting  out  figures  to  represent  soldiers,  and  construct- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION       i6i 

ing  block  and  corncob  houses  for  the  rag  doll  and 
squash  families. 
Dramatizing  through  picture  drawing. — One  does 

not  commonly  regard  picture  drawing  as  a  form  of 
dramatic  expression,  but,  nevertheless,  it  must  often 
be  classed  under  that  head.  The  drawing  lessons  as 
once  conducted  in  the  day  schools,  the  copying  of  cer- 
tain designated  objects  and  symbols,  were  a  bore  to  the 
average  child,  decidedly  so ;  but  how  different  the  crea- 
tions of  the  dramatic  imagination,  sketching  behind 
propped-up  books,  the  portrayal  of  "teacher  and  her 
beau"  and  such  graphic  representations  as  the  "neigh- 
borly Billy  goat  in  his  favorite  antics." 

The  grown  person  who  could  draw  pictures  and  tell 
stories  about  them  was  no  ordinary  mortal.  I  shall 
always  remember  the  one  who  taught  me  to  "draw 
a  pig."  I  can  still  reproduce  it,  but  it  will  not  squeal 
any  more,  and  its  legs  are  wobbly  and  stiff.  And 
mother  was  the  best  artist  of  all.  Lines  that  she  could 
draw  would  become  human  beings,  real  people  who 
would  talk  and  act  "wonder  stories."  The  Bible  inci- 
dent that  was  most  vividly  impressed  upon  my  mind 
as  a  boy — that  of  David  and  Goliath — she  told  through 
this  means.  A  long  line  represented  Goliath,  a  short 
line  David,  and  a  wavy  line  the  brook  by  the  side  of 
which  David  picked  up  the  historic  pebble.  I  saw  the 
whole  story  enacted  more  vividly  than  any  motion  pic- 
ture film  could  have  portrayed  it  and  when  the  big  line 
was  erased  and  drawn  horizontally — it  was  not  the 
line  to  me,  of  course,  for  imagination  had  clothed  all 
with  reality — I  knew  that  David  had  come  off  con- 
queror and  that  righteousness  had  triumphed  through 
the  efforts  of  a  boy  who  trusted  in  God. 


i62       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

Books  for  Reference 

Mary  Master  Needham,  Folk  Festivals. 
Beegle-Crawford,  Community  Drama  and  Pageantry. 
Percival  Chubb  and  Associates,  Festivals  and  Plays. 
Katharine  Lee  Bates,  The  English  Religious  Drama. 
Stella  G.  S.  Perry,  When  Mother  Lets  Us  Act. 
John  K.  C.  Chesshire,  Bethlehem  Tableaux  from  Be- 
hind the  Scenes. 
Wade  C.  Smith,  The  Little  Jetts  Telling  Bible  Stories. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION       163 


CHAPTER     XI 

TYPES  OF  DRAMATIC  PRODUCTIONS 
(Continued) 

Certain  types  of  dramatic  productions,  such  as 
musical  dramas,  screen  plays,  and  those  dealing  ex- 
clusively with  religious  themes,  because  of  their  na- 
ture demand  special  treatment. 

Musical  Drama 

Drama  and  music  are  two  closely  related  arts.  As 
stated  before,  they  were  brought  up  together.  Their 
early  home  was  the  church,  and  their  mother,  Religion. 
It  is  not  at  all  strange,  therefore,  that  we  should  see 
them  running  hand  in  hand  in  their  infancy,  learning 
by  experience,  one  pulling  forward  when  the  other  hes- 
itantly held  back  afraid  to  enter  into  strange  and  un- 
familiar ways  of  expression.  They  are  little  more 
than  children  yet,  full  of  caprice  and  the  exuberance 
of  youth  which  knows  not  the  bounds  of  restraint. 
This  is  very  evident  when  we  consider  the  harsh  noises 
now  known  as  ''jazz"  which  have  recently  been  pro- 
duced in  the  name  of  music,  and  the  undignified  and 
even  shocking  performances  in  the  cabaret  and  on  the 
stage  credited  to  drama.  Yet  the  early  influence  has 
not  been  for  naught.  Singly  and  together,  they  have 
given  expression  to  the  highest  and  purest  emotions,  in- 
terpreted life  and  elevated  man  from  the  sordid  world 
of  reality  to  the  realm  of  the  spiritual,  and  there  re- 


1 64       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

vealed  to  it  the  beauty  and  desirability  of  the  virtues 
extolled  by  religion. 

Singing  games  and  folk  dances. — At  times  the 
musical  interest  is  subordinate  to  the  dramatic,  becom- 
ing merely  an  assisting  art,  accompanying  and  supple- 
menting. Examples  of  this  are  such  singing  or  rhyth- 
mical games  of  dramatic  or  semidramatic  nature  as 
'The  Farmer  in  the  Dell,"  "The  Mulberry  Bush," 
^'London  Bridge  is  Falling  Down,"  and  "Heigh-0-the 
Cherry-Oh";  or  such  as  *'This  Little  Pig  Went  to 
Market,"  'Tatty  Cake,  Patty  Cake,"  ''Bean  Porridge 
Hot,"  and  numerous  other  finger  and  imitative  plays. 
Folk  dances,  all  classes  of  rhythmic  movement, 
aesthetic  and  interpretive,  and  also  the  drama  of  primi- 
tive people,  with  its  mimetic  acting,  weird  chanting, 
and  strange  music,  may  also  be  placed  in  the  same  gen- 
eral class. 

Dramatic  songs. — Classification  of  dramatic  songs 
compels  us  to  go  back  before  modern  musical  composi- 
tions. We  must  include  Greek  and  Roman  produc- 
tions; biblical  songs  such  as  the  "Song  of  Solomon," 
"Miriam's  Song,"  and  the  "Psalms  of  Ascent  or  Pil- 
grim Sons,"  and  the  many  songs  of  the  Christian 
Church  during  the  Middle  Ages,  since  they  early  as- 
sumed dramatic  form  and  were  acted  out  even  in  con- 
nection with  religious  services.  Some  of  the  ballads 
sung  by  the  jolly  wandering  singers.  Jongleurs,  Min- 
strels, and  Meistersingers  fall  in  line  with  these,  as  do 
also  many  folk  songs,  and  certain  recitative  songs  com- 
mon to  many  people  to-day. 

The  cantata. — The  cantata  was  originally  a  musi- 
cal recitative,  sung  by  one  person  to  the  accompani- 
ment of  a  stringed  instrument — quite  a  different  thing 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION       165 

from  the  present  cantata,  which  may  utilize  an  orches- 
tra of  one  hundred  instruments  and  a  chorus  of  a  thou- 
sand or  more  voices. 

Its  theme  may  be  either  sacred  or  secular.  When 
secular  it  is  usually  a  lyric  drama  or  story  sung  to 
music,  rarely  acted  out,  although  certain  musical  com- 
positions of  a  dramatic  nature  which  are  similar  to  the 
cantata  in  some  respects,  are  staged.  When  the  can- 
tata is  sacred  it  may  differ  from  the  oratorio  little  other 
than  in  length,  it  being  shorter. 

Its  chief  value  lies  in  its  power  of  uniting  large 
groups  of  people  in  helpful  and  pleasurable  musical 
festivals.  It  also  encourages  an  appreciation  of  the 
best  in  musical  art,  for  its  large  choruses  invite  many 
untrained  singers  to  participate.  In  the  large  churches 
cantatas  play  such  an  important  part  on  special  days 
that  something  would  seem  lacking  if  they  were  not 
given.  An  Easter  without  its  special  music  would 
hardly  seem  an  Easter. 

The  grand  opera  and  operettas. — The  grand 
opera  in  its  present  form  will  probably  remain  in  the 
hands  of  the  professional  groups  of  dramatic  singers, 
since  the  music,  staging,  and  interpretation  are  beyond 
the  means  and  talents  of  most  local  communities. 
Many  forms  of  opera,  however,  are  suitable  for  ama- 
teur productions.  The  little  operettas  for  children 
picturing  Old  Mother  Goose,  Brownies,  and  Fairies — 
musical  numbers  interspersed  with  dramatic  dialogue 
— have  been  quite  common.  At  times  they  have  been 
very  well  staged.  Some  of  them  have  almost  rivaled 
"Hansel  and  Gretel,"  the  little  opera  for  children. 

Nearly  every  village  and  hamlet  has  produced  its 
operetta  of  a  comic  or  humorous  nature — in  reality 


l66       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

little  farces  set  to  simple  and  popular  music.  Some 
of  these  productions,  as,  for  example,  the  "New  Minis- 
ter," have  been  quite  popular  in  many  churches.  They 
are  usually  innocent,  mirth-provoking  little  entertain- 
ments, many  times  given  by  the  choirs  for  the  purpose 
of  raising  money  with  which  to  buy  music  for  church 
use.  Often  they  have  been  the  means  of  organizing 
and  holding  together  groups  of  "happy-go-lucky" 
youngsters  for  chorus  work.  An  occasional  perform- 
ance in  a  lighter  vein  serves  as  a  relief  from  what  to 
them  may  seem  the  monotony  of  the  dignified  church 
music.  Only  he  who  with  a  meager  musical  training 
has  attempted  to  direct  a  small-town  choir,  should 
criticize  such  productions.  Often  they  have  been  the 
stepping-stone  to  an  appreciation  and  the  rendition  of 
the  best  in  music. 

Pageantry  uses  musical  drama  frequently.  Distance 
may  make  it  impossible  "to  get  over  effects"  in  any 
other  way.  Music  also  may  give  the  color  and  atmos- 
phere desired  in  a  much  more  artistic  manner  than 
could  the  spoken  word.  At  times  the  production  may 
resemble  the  grand  opera  in  many  respects,  and  it  is 
not  at  all  certain  but  that  a  new  dramatic  form  may  be 
evolved  from  the  pageant  drama  which  will  revolu- 
tionize the  opera.  Pageantry  furnishes  an  opportunity 
for  the  development  of  new  musical  compositions,  fit- 
ting expressions  of  contemporary  life. 

The  oratorio. — A  study  of  the  history  of  the  ora- 
torio impresses  one  with  the  great  contribution  it  has 
made,  not  only  to  the  church,  but  also  to  the  progress 
of  music  itself.  Nearly  all  the  great  composers  have 
given  it  their  attention  and  added  touches  that  it  might 
be  a  more  worthy  means  of  expression.     Many  new 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION       167 

musical  forms  have  thus  been  developed  which  have 
influenced  by  their  richness  of  concept  nearly  all  later 
compositions,  both  sacred  and  secular. 

The  oratorio  ever  since  the  days  of  its  infancy,  when 
with  action,  simple  costumes,  and  crudely  chanted 
songs  it  praised  "God  and  the  wonders  of  his  work," 
has  been  concerned  with  religious  themes.  Unlike  most 
of  the  arts,  it  has  never  forsaken  the  church,  and  has 
developed  until  it  is  now  characterized  by  the  highest 
quality  of  religious  devotion  and  spiritual  fervor. 

It  has  been  a  modern  prophet  speaking  to  thousands. 
The  great  choral  societies  of  the  Old  World  have  found 
it  a  most  fitting  type  of  musical  production  for  their 
use.  Such  oratorios  as  the  Messiah,  Elijah,  Saul,  and 
the  Creation  have  been  sung  by  them  time  and  time 
again. 

Even  America,  backward  about  adopting  classical 
music,  and  equally  reticent  about  creating  a  new  type 
of  music  which  would  be  a  more  fitting  expression  of 
the  "time  spirit,"  has  sung  these  great  masterpieces  so 
often  that  to  music  lovers  many  of  them  are  as  familiar 
as  the  nursery  rhymes  of  childhood. 

Screen  Plays 

Two  distinct  types  of  screen  plays  have  been  evolved. 
Magic-lantern  pictures  might  be  grouped  under  this 
head.  They,  however,  resemble  moving  pictures  in  so 
many  respects  that  they  are  not  classified  separately. 
'  Shadow  plays. — For  a  jolly,  mirth-provoking  social 
evening  nothing  can  furnish  more  wholesome  amuse- 
ment than  the  shadow  play.  The  action  is  portrayed 
by  the  shadows  of  people  who  move  between  a  strong 
light  and  a  screen  sheet-curtain  stretched  in  a  large 


i68       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

double  doorway,  or  before  a  specially  arranged  stage. 
Properties  may  be  made  of  cardboard  and  costumes  of 
newspaper.  Many  amusing  and  grotesque  effects  are 
possible.  A  story,  the  theme  of  which  is  illustrative, 
is  read  or  recited  while  the  action  takes  place.  Many 
humorous  ballads  and  stories  lend  themselves  very 
readily  to  such  presentation. 

An  outline,  in  part,  of  a  poem  by  Longfellow  dra- 
matized by  Stella  G.  Perry,  in  When  Mother  Lets  Us 
Act,^  reveals  the  humorous  possibilities  of  shadow-play 
acting  and  suggests  methods  of  presentation: 


This  is  read  while 
There  was  a  little  girl 


This  is  acted  in  shadows 
"Little  Girl"  appears  on 
sheet  and  makes  a  cour- 
tesy to  audience. 
(It  is  better  to  dress  up  a 
boy  in  girl's  clothes  for 
this  part.) 


A.nd  she  had  a  little  curl 


"Little  Girl"  lifts  up  a  curl 
made  of  paper  from 
"middle     of     forehead." 


Right  in  the  middle  of  her 
forehead ; 


She  pulls  it  long  and 
turns  profile  to  audience 
and  makes  curl  "bob." 


When   she   was   good   she 
was  very,  very  good. 


Folds  hand  and  looks  up- 
ward, walks  demurely 
across  sheet. 


But  when  she  was  bad  she 
was  horrid. 


Sticks  out  tongue,  stamps, 
shakes  fist  and  is  gener- 
ally naughty. 


^Moffat,  Yard  &  Company,  publishers. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION       169 


She  went  upstairs 


When    her    parents,    una- 
wares, 


In  the  kitchen  were 
occupied  with  meals, 


She  stood  on  her  head 
On  her  little  trundle  bed 


Steps  of  boxes  pushed  on 
scene  at  side.  "Little 
Girl"  mounts  them. 
(Light  screened.  When 
light  appears  again,  "Lit- 
tle Girl"  and  steps  are 
gone.) 

Small  table  and  chair 
pushed  on.  Little  boy  in 
"grown-up"  clothes,  with 
cotton  moustache,  ap- 
pears  and  sits  at  table. 

Represents  her  "Father." 
A  little  girl,  represent- 
ing "Mother,"  in  long 
skirt,  with  hair  dressed 
high,  appears.  "Mother" 
gives  "Father"  plate, 
knife,  and  fork,  etc. 
(Light  screened.  During 
Darkness  chair  and  table 
taken  away  and  two  big 
pillows  put  in  their 
places.) 

"Little  Girl"  appears  and 
suits  action  to  the  words. 


And  then  began  hurraying 
with  her  heels. 


(Now  you  see  why  it  is 
better  for  a  boy  to  take 
this  part.) 


While  attending  a  missionary  conference  at  Asilo- 
mar,  California,  the  writer  was  greatly  entertained  by 
a  "stunt-night"  shadow  play,  which  laughingly  pre- 
sented missionary  interests.  Shadowed  upon  the  screen 
China  was  operated  upon  by  an  awe-inspiring  surgeon. 


170       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

An  anaesthetic  was  administered.  A  saw  and  other 
ugly-looking  surgical  instruments  were  used  to  make 
an  incision.  The  operation  seemed  to  be  very  success- 
ful, for  an  alarm  clock,  a  tin  pan,  about  twenty  feet  of 
small  rubber  hose  and  what  not  were  removed.  Ad- 
mittedly this  production  had  little  educational  value, 
but  it  harmlessly  interested  the  young  people  and  estab- 
lished contact  with  subjects  designed  for  later  definite 
educational  and  religious  development. 

Unique  and  serious  values  may  attach  to  shadow- 
play  productions.  Through  it  effects  may  be  secured 
which  can  be  obtained  in  no  other  way.  For  instance, 
the  direct  impersonation  of  Christ  under  any  other 
than  exceptional  cases  like  that  of  the  Passion  Play, 
given  at  Oberammergau,  seems  sacrilegious.  Through 
shadow  acting,  however,  a  new  field  of  biblical  drama 
is  opened  and  such  representation  is  made  possible. 
One  of  the  most  noteworthy  productions  of  this  type 
was  the  beautiful  Christmas  mystery  play  given  at 
Maurice  Brown's  Little  Theater  in  Chicago.  The  im- 
agination clothed  these  shadow  characters  with  a 
reality  that  could  not  have  been  attained  by  other  pre- 
sentation methods.  A  person  felt  that  just  behind  the 
curtain  was  the  Christ.  He  lived.  It  was  his  shadow 
that  was  cast  on  the  screen.  So  real  was  the  impres- 
sion that  one  could  scarcely  refrain  from  tearing  down 
the  intervening  screen  and  crying,  "My  Lord,  my 
Lord." 

The  motion  pictures. — The  silent  drama  is,  except 
for  the  public  schools  and  possibly  the  newspapers,  the 
greatest  educational  institution  in  America.  Oh,  no,  it 
hardly  regards  itself  as  such.  It  aims  to  give  pleasure 
to     people,     to     present     attractive     performances, 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  171 

that  financial  returns  may  justify  production. 
But,  nevertheless,  reaching  about  eight  million 
five  hundred  thousand  of  our  population,  as  it 
does  daily,  it  must  be  reckoned  with  as  an  educa- 
tive force.  It  realistically  portrays  foreign  customs, 
peoples,  and  nev^s  events;  and  yet,  often  to  "get  a 
laugh,"  it  misrepresents.  It  unfolds  the  beauty  and 
desirability  of  Christlikeness ;  and  yet  at  times,  it  rep- 
resents evil  in  such  attractive  guise  that  it  is  welcomed 
and  acclaimed  a  virtue.  It  touches  the  emotions  and 
prompts  a  person  to  live  in  accord  with  the  best  princi- 
ples of  God  and  man;  and  again  it  stimulates  fiery  pas- 
sions through  its  suggestive  pictures  and  turns  out  the 
individual  a  beast  upon  society. 

Censorship  has  not  adequately  controlled  it,  and 
while  at  times  its  message  is  directly  potent  for  good, 
it  is  often  one  of  the  most  demoralizing  forces  in  socie- 
ty. It  is  here  and  must  be  taken  into  account.  Anath- 
ema will  not  better  it.  Only  two  avenues  are  open 
through  which  it  may  gain  its  proper  place  in  society — 
a  more  rigid  control  of  censorship,  or  a  movement 
which  will  make  it  other  than  a  commercial  institution 
and  place  it  on  a  par  with  our  public  libraries  and  pub- 
lic schools.  Thus  it  may  become  an  educational  insti- 
tution with  a  constructive  program,  one  presenting 
photo  plays  which  will  satisfy  the  normal  instincts  of 
childhood  and  age,  and  promote  wholesome  intellectual 
and  moral  development. 

Exclusively  Religious  Productions 

Dramatic  expression  in  no  sense  excludes  religious 
presentation.  Many  types  of  drama  have  been  adapted 
to  religious  purposes. 


172       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

Missionary  demonstrations. — The  desire  to  picture 
the  actual  conditions  of  mission  fields  as  a  part  of  mis- 
sionary education  has  led  to  the  development  of  a  type 
of  drama  which,  for  the  want  of  a  better  name,  we 
shall  call  missionary  demonstrations.  They  have  often 
been  called  life  plays,  or  life  studies.  In  content  they 
are  similar  to  the  speeches  of  many  missionaries — con- 
crete pictures  of  life.  They  are  acted-out  representa- 
tions of  actual  occurrences.  Hence  their  effectiveness 
is  usually  due  to  their  realism  rather  than  to  artistic 
merit. 

Hospital  scenes,  native  weddings,  religious  cere- 
monies, and  such  simple  acts  as  grinding  corn,  making 
pottery,  etc.,  are  commonly  chosen  for  portrayal. 
Many  such  productions  are  not  presented  on  a  stage  but 
in  booths  before  which  crowds  pass.  Often  players  go 
from  booth  to  booth.  Thus  one  man  may  carry  out 
his  little  act  in  sequence  at  the  village  mosque,  in  the 
home  of  a  friend,  and  then  in  the  market  place.  Fre- 
quently large  numbers  of  player-people  leave  the  booths 
simultaneously  to  join  in  the  representation  of  a  ''fu- 
neral procession,"  a  village  wedding,  or  other  enacted 
ceremonial. 

The  script  of  these  productions  is  often  a  mere  out- 
line, like  a  scenario,  indicating  action  rather  than  dia- 
logue. Interpolations  by  the  director,  or  some  other 
person,  emphasize  and  explain,  as  do  the  words  which 
flash  on  the  motion  picture  screens.  The  difficulty  of 
staging  such  script  becomes  at  once  apparent.  The 
task  is  one  of  mirroring  life  as  it  actually  is.  This 
almost  requires  a  firsthand  knowledge  of  the  field  pic- 
tured, for  few  productions  have  been  made  what  some 
choose  to  call  "fool  proof" — those  with  descriptions 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  173 

sufficiently  clear  to  enable  the  uninitiated  to  be  his- 
torically accurate  and  to  give  the  local  color  and  at- 
mosphere necessary  for  illusion. 

Bible  story  plays. — Chapter  VI  has  dealt  at  length 
with  the  different  types  of  story  dramatization.  Here 
we  need  but  mention  Bible  story  plays.  Such  plays 
may  be  of  invaluable  service  to  persons  working  with 
children  of  Primary  and  Junior  age. 

Recently  teachers  in  the  church  school  with  which 
the  writer  is  associated  have  been  "working  up"  two 
Bible  parables  for  a  department  party.  The  girls  are 
dramatizing  The  Wise  and  Foolish  Virgins;  the 
boys,  The  Good  Samaritan.  The  children  have  sug- 
gested many  innovations.  The  girls  had  to  have  a  bride 
in  their  story  play,  and  so  one  was  added.  The  boys 
thought  it  best  to  divide  their  little  drama  into  two 
scenes.  As  was  to  be  expected,  they  all  wanted  to  take 
the  part  of  the  robbers,  and  it  is  needless  to  say  that 
they  acted  this  part  with  vigor  and  enthusiasm.  The 
second  scene  which  portrayed  the  Good  Samaritan  in 
the  Inn  permitted  the  introduction  of  much  original 
dialogue  and  action. 

The  plays,  of  course,  are  crude — not  finished  per- 
formances. The  stories,  however,  have  become  fa- 
miliar to  all — so  familiar  that  players  change  parts  at 
nearly  every  production.  For  instance,  the  person 
who  takes  the  part  of  the  Good  Samaritan  one  time 
may  be  the  robber  or  the  inn-keeper  the  next. 

Enthusiasm  and  spontaneity  characterizes  all  the 
action.  As  in  the  free  play  of  the  school  ground,  the 
players  throw  themselves  into  their  parts  with  zest 
and  whole-heartedness.  They  are  no  more  conscious 
of  onlookers  than  are  children  about  their  games.     In 


174       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

fact,  the  dramatization  has  become  a  great  game  in 
which  all  take  a  part. 

Programs. — The  various  church  boards  have  en- 
deavored to  celebrate  days  of  special  significance  to  the 
church  by  means  of  programs  of  a  dramatic  nature. 
To  a  great  extent  these  exercises  have  been  made  up  of 
responsive  readings,  symbolic  dialogues,  recitations, 
solos,  and  choral  selections.  Now,  there  is  a  growing 
tendency  to  make  such  programs  more  dramatic  by  the 
introduction  of  processionals,  antiphonal  singing,  and 
simple  pageantry.  Pantomimes  and  tableaux  likewise 
have  been  introduced.  Certain  tableaux  representing 
nativity  scenes  have  been  especially  effective. 

Passion  plays. — Passion  plays,  or  miracles,  as  they 
were  called  during  the  mediaeval  period,  purpose  to  por- 
tray the  Passion  of  Christ.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
these  productions,  representing  the  Passion  of  our 
Lord,  have  filled  an  important  teaching  function. 
While  there  is  a  hesitancy  on  the  part  of  the  church  to 
employ  to  any  great  extent  such  method  of  teaching 
in  the  present  age,  certain  early  dramatic  rites  remain 
with  us. 

Jesus  asked  his  disciples  to  reenact  one  scene  in  his 
life — the  Last  Supper.  They  obeyed,  and  we  as  fol- 
lowers continue  the  same  sacrament.  We  do  not  think 
of  it  as  drama.  It  is  not  drama  as  usually  accepted. 
Like  processes  are  involved,  however,  and  the  values 
are  the  same  as  those  gained  through  Educational  Dra- 
matics. The  individual  profits  by  reliving  a  past  ex- 
perience. Jesus  understood  the  psychology  back  of 
such  symbolism.  He  felt  that  if  his  followers,  in  the 
spirit  of  prayer  and  devotion,  performed  the  sacred 
rite  of  breaking  bread  as  he  had  broken  it  the  night  of 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  175 

the  Last  Supper,  association  would  awaken  the  emo- 
tions that  had  been  aroused  while  he  was  with  them. 
The  sacrament  of  baptism  and  other  manifestations  of 
religious  expression  common  to  the  Christian  Church, 
evoke  similar  responses. 

Certain  of  the  Passion  plays  have  had  a  marked  in- 
fluence on  individual  and  community  life.  The  one 
best  known  to  us  and  referred  to  before,  is  presented 
every  ten  years  in  the  little  village  of  Oberammergau. 
This  is  in  no  sense  a  show — a  spectacular  performance. 
It  is  a  solemn  experience  for  the  players  and  audience 
— a  living  over  and  beholding  the  life  of  our  Lord  and 
his  disciples  as  revealed  in  the  Scriptures.  Prepara- 
tion and  interpretation  are  characterized  by  a  spirit  of 
piety  and  devotion. 

The  attitude  of  the  people  toward  this  production  is 
revealed  by  the  speech  given  by  the  parish  pastor  the 
Sunday  before  one  of  the  performances.  In  this  ad- 
dress he  urged  them  to  remember  that  they,  simple  coun- 
try people,  were  not  to  hope  to  shine  as  actors.  Their 
holy  vow,  he  stated,  obligated  them  to  live,  not  alone 
act,  in  a  way  that  would  not  bring  a  reproach  upon  the 
Christ  whose  Passion  they  were  to  portray. 

With  like  motive  animating  religious  drarna,  here 
and  now,  it  cannot  fail  to  awaken  and  quicken  spiritual 
life  and  fulfill  its  solemn  service  to  the  church.  It  has 
a  sacred  office. 

Books  for  Reference 

Stella  G.  S.  Perry,  When  Mother  Lets  Us  Act. 
John  K.  C.  Chesshire,  Bethlehem  Tableaux  from  Be- 
hind the  Scenes. 


176       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

Helen  L.  Willcox,  Mission  Study  through  Educational 

Dramatics. 
Percival  Chubb  and  Associates,  Festivals  and  Plays. 
Katharine  Lee  Bates,  The  English  Religious  Drama. 
Luella  A.  Palmer,  Play  Life  in  the  First  Eight  Years. 
Elizabeth  Erwin  Miller,  The  Dramatization  of  Bible 

Stories. 
Bartholomew  and  Lawrence,  Music  for  Everybody. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  177 

CHAPTER    XII 

WHERE  TO  USE  EDUCATIONAL  DRAMATICS 

The  results  following  the  introduction  of  Educa- 
tional Dramatics  into  the  day  schools  have  justified 
other  educational  agencies  in  their  attempts  to  make 
use  of  dramatic  interest  to  achieve  their  especial  edu- 
cative ends.  While  opposition  is  encountered  in  certain 
quarters  to  this  method  of  teaching,  because  of  a  fail- 
ure to  understand  the  principles  involved,  and  while 
this  method  has  continued  to  fail  when  handled  ig- 
norantly  or  carelessly,  it  is  daily  gaining  recognition 
from  leaders  in  secular  and  religious  education. 

The    Church 

Educational  Dramatics  does  not  confine  its  activities 
to  any  one  institution.  The  church  as  well  as  the 
home,  the  school,  and  community  organizations  may 
benefit  by  dramatic  production.  As  the  religious 
drama  through  the  miracles  and  moralities  once  molded 
public  opinion  and  promoted  Christian  living,  so  may 
Educational  Dramatics  preach  a  twentieth-century 
gospel. 

Sunday  evening  services. — Vacant  pews  at  Sun- 
day evening  services  are  a  challenge  to  religious  leaders. 
Some  have  responded  by  providing  moving  pictures 
and  so  gained  a  hearing  for  the  gospel  message. 
Others,  beginning  to  realize  the  value  of  direct  dra- 
matic presentation,  have  introduced  local  missionary 
and  biblical  pageants  and  demonstrations  with  pro- 


178       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

nounced  success.  Children  alternating  with  young  peo- 
ple have  been  used,  and  even  adults  have  found  pleas- 
ure and  profit  in  the  presentation  of  worthy  themes. 
To  the  small  church,  especially,  or  one  not  wishing  to 
finance  a  great  undertaking,  a  means  is  thus  furnished 
of  stimulating  a  community-wide  interest  in  religious 
subjects,  and  of  increasing  church  attendance.  A  pro- 
gram of  dramatic  activities  can  and  should  serve  as  a 
training  school  in  religious  education. 

Young  people's  societies. — Educational  Dramatics 
may  introduce  into  the  young  people's  devotional  meet- 
ing many  innovations  of  special  value.  An  occasional 
pageant  full  of  local  color  will  increase  attendance  and 
arouse  enthusiasm  for  future  work.  A  demonstra- 
tion of  a  Chinese  or  Hindu  wedding  in  connection 
with  mission  study  classes  will  furnish  a  crowd  for 
a  missionary  or  life  service  appeal.  Services  in  which 
a  people  of  other  days  or  of  other  countries  are  repre- 
sented, such  as  a  "Quaker  Meeting,"  or  an  "Early 
Candle  Light  Service,"  have  been  directed  by  the 
author  with  success. 

The  "Quaker  Meeting,"  of  course,  was  planned,  but 
there  was  no  visible  leader,  and  the  young  people  spoke, 
or  led  in  song  as  the  Spirit  moved  them.  A  crowd  of 
one  hundred  and  seventy  became  participants  and 
throughout  the  whole  dramatic  presentation,  for  it  was 
nothing  more  or  less  than  a  dramatic  representation 
of  a  service,  there  was  a  spirit  of  devotion,  calm  and 
yet  searching,  much  like  that  which  one  notices  among 
a  devout  and  reverent  people  when  they  gather  together 
for  conference  and  prayer. 

Missionary  societies. — Missionary  societies  were 
leaders  in  putting  forth  missionary  fact  in  dramatic 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  179 

form.  In  the  last  ten  or  twelve  years  numerous 
playlets  presenting  missionary  problems  have  been 
written.  Many  publicity  organs  for  different  mission- 
ary branches  have  from  time  to  time  printed  short 
plays  that  are  easily  produced.  They  have  also  given 
helpful  suggestions  for  creating  interest  in  missionary 
fields  by  dramatic  method,  and  often  times  their  pro- 
grams, especially  those  for  the  Junior  organizations, 
have  been  almost  entirely  dramatic  in  nature.  To  so 
utilize  the  play  activity  benefits  the  children,  helps 
hold  together  their  missionary  organizations,  and  stim- 
ulates study.  Children  thus  can  be  made  to  feel  that 
they  are  doing  a  teaching  service,  and  that  they  are 
directly  aiding  those  in  need.  Such  instruction  will 
early  inculcate  a  sense  of  personal  responsibility  toward 
world  needs. 

Children's  Sunday  afternoon  story  hour. — The 
Metropolitan  Museum  of  Art  of  New  York  city  has 
for  some  time  been  carrying  on  a  unique  and  inter- 
esting Sunday  afternoon  story  hour  for  the  purpose  of 
teaching  art.  The  Sunday  the  writer  was  present  a 
crowd  of  perhaps  four  or  five  hundred  children  made 
up  the  audience.  First  a  story  woven  about  a  selected 
work  of  art  and  the  artist  was  told,  much  use  being 
made  of  descriptions.  After  the  story,  pictures  around 
which  the  story  had  been  made  were  thrown  on  a 
screen.  The  children  at  once  were  able  to  recognize 
the  characters  mentioned  and  to  pick  out  other  points 
of  interest.  After  the  pictures  were  shown,  a  scene 
from  the  story  told  the  week  before  was  dramatized  by 
several  children  who,  during  the  week,  had  studied  the 
story  further  under  the  direction  of  the  instructor. 
Then  the  children  were  directed  as  to  where  they  would 


i8o       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

find  the  described  pictures  in  the  Museum.  Thus  use 
was  made  of  the  most  valuable  means  of  giving  the 
children  knowledge  of  the  resources  of  the  Museum 
opened  to  them. 

Public  libraries  and  playgrounds  also  have  been  mak- 
ing much  use  of  a  story  hour  for  teaching,  many  of 
them  playing  the  story  after  it  has  been  told.  Emma 
Sheridan  Fry  for  some  time  conducted  a  Story-Play- 
ing Hour  in  the  Educational  Alliance  Building,  in  New 
York  city.  It  was  held  on  Sunday  afternoons.  Large 
crowds  came  to  hear  and  take  part  in  the  presentations. 
Nothing  forbids  such  methods  of  instructing  children 
in  the  truths  of  Christianity.  Surely,  it  would  operate 
as  well  in  church  as  in  hall  or  library  and  serve  the 
purpose  of  religion  even  as  it  serves  art  and  entertain- 
ment. 

Social  evenings. — The  question,  "Well,  yes,  that 
would  be  fine  if  we  could  all  get  together,  but  what 
could  we  do?"  is  always  raised  by  those  who  are  in 
charge  of  the  social  times  for  young  people  and  chil- 
dren. The  Church  School  Magazine  has  been  answer- 
ing that  question  by  giving  plans  for  using  the  dramatic 
instincts. 

One  Sunday  school  has  a  China  cupboard.  At  cer- 
tain times  the  children  come  to  the  church  and  play 
'*grown-ups,"  using  the  dishes.  Certain  ones  act  as 
hostesses  and  serve,  thereby  gaining  knowledge  and 
practice  of  the  proper  ways  of  serving.  In  settlement 
neighborhoods  and  places  where  the  children  have  no 
chance  to  learn  such  things  in  the  home,  such  activities 
are  very  valuable.  Children  so  instructed  will  know 
how  to  give  added  touches  to  their  own  homes,  that  will 
make  them  cheerful  and  indeed  homelike. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  i8i 

Much  entertainment  results  when  the  older  young 
folks  act  out  Bible  stories  in  pantomime,  or  in  the  regu- 
lar play  style,  using  dialogue.  For  such  productions 
the  leader  may  well  outline  suggestions  concerning  the 
parts  and  the  action,  and  give  sufficient  time  for  the 
players  to  work  up  interesting  little  productions. 

If  a  mirth-provoking  evening  is  desired,  the  crowd 
may  be  divided  into  groups  and  given  outlines  of  mov- 
ing picture  plots  to  "act  out."  In  such  dramas,  strings 
hanging  from  doorways  very  well  represent  prison 
bars,  fat  men  chugging  along  with  flash  lights  make 
admirable  engines,  and  improvised  costumes  transform 
characters  in  an  amazing  manner.  The  acting  and 
"working  up"  of  the  plots  will  furnish  "side-spHttting" 
entertainment  for  an  entire  evening. 

Church  conventions. — It  is  hardly  necessary  to 
state  the  use  which  has  been  made  of  pageants  at  large 
gatherings  of  church  organizations.  The  World  in 
Boston  in  191 1,  in  Baltimore  in  19 12,  the  Centenary 
Celebration  of  the  Methodist  Churches  in  Columbus, 
Ohio,  in  19 1 9,  and  the  Congregational  World  in  Bos- 
ton in  1920  all  have  found  in  pageantry  a  fitting  way 
to  give  expression  to  Christian  truth.  Missionary 
Boards  and  Young  People's  Societies  at  State,  district, 
and  national  meetings  have  featured  this  type  of  ex- 
pression. The  1920  International  Sunday  School  Con- 
vention held  in  Tokio,  Japan,  created  a  special  division 
of  pageantry.  And  during  the  past  year  many  of  the 
State  Sunday  school  conventions  have  made  pageants 
an  important  part  of  their  gatherings.  Many  short, 
simple  productions  have  been  selected  and  produced. 
Those  which  could  be  worked  up  during  the  convention 
period  have  usually  been  preferred. 


i82       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

The  Church  School 

Many  church  school  leaders  and  editors  of  religious 
publications,  after  having  made  a  careful  study  of  the 
possibilities  of  Educational  Dramatics,  have  enthusias- 
tically w^elcomed  it  as  an  asset  to  the  church  school. 
Educational  Dramatics  seems  to  have  justified  this 
recognition. 

The  study  period.^ — Modern  church  school  execu- 
tives, appreciating  the  value  of  directed  dramatic  ex- 
pression, are  changing  courses  of  study  and  revising 
lesson  helps  that  the  children  may  profit  by  this  method 
of  teaching.  Results  measured  by  interest  in  the  cur- 
riculum and  in  the  development  of  the  scholars  indicate 
the  practicability  of  this  new  program  of  class  activities. 
Department  leaders  who  have  given  it  a  fair  trial  would 
not  think  of  going  back  to  the  former  methods  of 
teaching. 

While  Educational  Dramatics  has  been  used  more 
or  less  in  the  elementary  departments  of  the  church 
school,  and  although  there  is  a  systematic  effort  on 
the  part  of  the  few  who  realize  its  value  to  introduce 
it  in  the  advanced  grades,  as  yet  the  idea  has  met  with 
little  encouragement.  The  old  notion  which  regards 
play  as  mere  useless  enjoyment  is  still  current,  and,  of 
course,  since  the  conception  prevails  that  the  church 
school  is  but  a  place  for  study  and  devotion,  it  is  not 
at  all  surprising  that  there  should  be  some  opposition 
to  a  play  program  in  connection  with  the  Sunday  morn- 
ing study  period. 

Opening  service  of  worship. — In  the  schools  of 
many  churches,  dramatic  expression  has  made  the 
opening    service    of    worship    both    attractive    and 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  183 

educative.  Some  Missionary  Superintendents,  alive 
to  the  possibilities  of  dramatic  presentation,  have 
prepared  short  demonstrations,  representing  scenes  of 
foreign  countries  and  customs  of  other  peoples,  thereby 
not  only  giving  the  children  engaged  a  valuable  point 
of  contact  and  sympathy  with  the  peoples  of  the  world, 
but  also  teaching  a  lesson  to  those  who  are  in  the 
audience. 

When  the  demonstrations  are  "worked  up"  in  the 
classroom  as  part  of  the  study,  attention  being  given 
to  the  principles  of  Educational  Dramatics,  valuable 
results  are  achieved.  In  case  the  church  school  is 
graded,  programs  of  this  type  may  be  used  at  the  de- 
partment services  of  worship,  or  taken  over  to  other 
departments. 

The  religious  day  school.^ — The  church  day 
schools  of  many  communities  and  local  churches  have 
made  use  of  the  play  spirit  in  teaching  children.  Dra- 
matization has  stimulated  interest  in  lessons  so  that 
children  have  begged  for  added  time  in  the  classroom. 
Parents  and  the  State  compel  children  to  attend  the 
secular  day  schools.  Compulsory  attendance  in  church 
day  schools  is  neither  possible  nor  advisable.  Hence 
the  practical  need  of  methods  of  instruction  that  in 
themselves  attract  children  and  make  the  work  enjoy- 
able. Dramatization  serves  this  purpose,  since  all  chil- 
dren like  to  hear  and  act  a  good  story.  It  gives  expres- 
sion to  spontaneous  motives  and  will  be  a  big  factor  in 
making  any  church  day  school  a  success. 

Edgar  B.  Gordon,  in  The  Church  School,  for  April, 
1920,  thus  states  the  value  of  the  dramatic  method  in 
the  church  educational  program : 

"The  gradual  growth  of  the  educational  principle  of 


i84       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

'learning  by  doing'  has  brought  into  play  a  larger 
measure  of  flexibility  in  classroom  methods  and  has 
supplemented  the  former  procedure  of  book  study  and 
recitation  by  certain  individual  freedom,  initiative,  and 
laboratory  method.  In  a  large  measure  the  dramatic 
method  is  employed  in  accomplishing  these  results. 
Children  are  encouraged  to  act  out  every  lesson  which 
has  any  dramatic  possibilities.  This  is  resulting  in  a 
larger  attractiveness  for  the  school  and  a  more  normal 
approach  to  the  child  mind. 

"I  believe  that  there  is  a  great  and  as  yet  untouched 
field  for  the  use  of  this  idea  in  Sunday  school  work 
and  in  the  church  services.  Last  summer  at  the  Madi- 
son Religious  Day  School  the  experiment  was  made  of 
permitting  a  class  of  boys  and  girls  to  dramatize  some 
of  the  lessons  which  they  studied.  The  very  decided 
increase  in  interest  which  they  manifested  was  a  good 
indication  of  the  value  of  the  method.  At  a  summer 
camp  for  children,  conducted  at  Eliot,  Maine,  by  Mr. 
Sidney  Lanier,  son  of  the  famous  poet,  the  dramatic 
method  is  employed  solely  in  the  religious  training. 
Quite  remarkable  little  dramas,  based  upon  bibhcal 
themes,  are  devised  and  presented  by  the  children.'' 

Interdenominational  and  Nondenominational 
Organizations 

Certain  interdenominational  and  nondenominational 
organizations  promoting  religious  interests  have  made 
effective  use  of  pageantry  and  dramatics  in  their  social, 
recreational,  and  educational  programs. 

Camps. — Boys'  and  girls'  camps  under  the  auspices 
of  such  organizations  as  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.,  Y.  W.  C.  A., 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  185 

Boy  Scouts  of  America,  and  State  or  district  Sunday 
School  Associations  are  excellent  places  to  introduce 
dramatic  "stunts,"  simple  plays,  and  pageants.  Mock 
trials  and  minstrel  shows  usually  are  favorites  with 
boys.  Dramatic  ceremonial  rites,  clever  comedy 
sketches  of  local  interest,  and  camp  fire  programs  ap- 
peal to  girls.  These  mirth-provoking  entertainments 
are  never  forgotten.  Years  afterward  participants  will 
laugh  as  they  think  over  or  narrate  such  scenes  or 
events. 

Clubs.  — "Let's  do  something"  is  the  actual  if  not 
spoken  slogan  of  every  boys'  and  girls'  organization. 
Youth  is  eager  and  restless — longing  for  new  experi- 
ences, not  content  with  inactivity.  His  whole  being 
cries,  out,  "Do,  do." 

Dramatics  furnishes  an  outlet  for  the  "let's-do"  spir- 
it. Gangs  of  "bad  boys"  and  cliques  of  reckless  and 
giddy  girls  have  had  their  interests  changed  and  been 
taught  graciousness  of  manner  and  virtuous  living 
through  dramatic  programs  sponsored  by  Christian 
leaders  in  social  settlements,  community  houses, 
churches,  and  schools. 

In  older  groups  of  young  people,  serious  study  of 
plays  and  play  production  may  well  be  given.  With 
younger  children,  however,  it  is  often  best  to  make  the 
dramatic  activities  but  one  of  the  program  features. 
The  ages  and  interests  of  players  will  determine  the 
types  of  plays  and  pageants  which  may  be  produced. 
Under  proper  direction,  the  classics  and  many  of  the 
better  one-act  plays  may  be  staged.  Such  has  been 
done  by  organizations  like  Hull  House  in  Chicago,  the 
Educational  Alliance,  and  the  Henry  Street  Settlement 
in  New  York  city. 


i86       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 


The  Community 

The  church  should  not  think  that  its  task  is  com- 
pleted when  it  ministers  to  those  who  are  regular  at- 
tendants at  its  services.  It  has  a  further  evangelizing 
mission — a  duty  to  those  who  have  become  indif- 
ferent and  to  those  who,  because  of  environmental  rea- 
sons, have  never  been  led  into  an  appreciation  of  the 
Christian  way  of  life.  It  must  project  itself  into  the 
community  life,  not  only  as  a  leader  in  social  and  phil- 
anthropic undertakings,  but  also  as  an  inspirer  and  a 
spiritualizer. 

The  present  world,  struggling  from  under  the  crush- 
ing weight  of  a  heartless  materialism  to  a  spiritual 
awakening,  hurls  a  challenge  to  the  church.  Thus  and 
now  is  offered  the  greatest  opportunity  for  service  that 
has  been  presented  since  the  time  of  Wesley.  Yet  how 
give  the  people  what  they  crave,  when  they  have 
spurned  the  usual  methods  of  presentation?  This  ques- 
tion bewilders  and  confuses  both  preacher  and  layman. 
They  hardly  know  how  to  meet  the  situation.  The 
theater,  while  not  prompted  by  religious  motives,  like- 
wise begins  to  appreciate  the  present  desire  for  the  spir- 
itual message.  It  sometimes  presents  religious  or 
semireligious  plays,  and  others  which  emphasize  the 
nobler  virtues,  thus  ministering  to  a  class  which  the 
church  fails  to  reach. 

Dramatic  presentation  though  commercialized  and 
perfected  by  the  theater  is  not  necessarily  confined  to 
the  stage.  Recall  our  earlier  statement  that  it  grew  up 
in  the  church,  and  when  that  institution  lost  its  popu- 
lar hold,  it  was  the  prophet  which  taught  Christian 
truths  through  the  homely  and  simple  miracle  and  mor- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  187 

ality  plays.  It  is  still  a  prophet  of  truth,  though  it  set 
up  its  pulpit  elsewhere  than  in  the  church.  As  it  once 
spiritualized  an  ignorant  and  demoralized  people,  it 
may  now  satisfy  the  soul-hunger  of  the  present  day. 
What  Luther  and  Wesley  have  been  in  the  past  it  may 
be  in  this  generation — a  living  force  which  will  draw 
the  world  to  God.  It  behooves  the  church  again  to 
wield  it  as  an  instrument  of  good. 

Holy  and  holidays. — All  holidays  offer  a  means  of 
approach  to  the  multitudes,  and  with  care  they  can  be 
made  occasions  of  spiritual  and  moral  refreshment. 
The  common  appeal  of  such  occasions  may  be  taken 
into  account  by  the  church  in  its  own  services  and  also 
for  those  interests  which  it  may  sponsor  in  the  com- 
munity. Pageantry  is  particularly  adapted  to  the  needs 
of  these  special  days.  Its  nature  excludes  the  vulgar 
and  the  crude,  and  makes  possible  lofty  and  aesthetic 
representations.  It  can  unify,  revive  and  spiritualize 
many  communities  where  other  methods  have  failed. 

It  may  serve  as  a  teacher  of  truth  on  a  large  scale. 
As  Jesus  and  his  disciples  went  from  place  to  place 
telling  their  story  of  salvation,  this  herald  of  righteous- 
ness may  preach  the  gospel  to  many  who  never  enter 
the  church.  At  times  it  may  be  necessary  to  stimulate 
new  productions  or  inaugurate  new  traditions.  At 
others,  local  ceremonials  may  be  taken  over  and  di- 
rected for  spiritual  ends.  For  instance,  in  New  York 
city,  on  Thanksgiving  Day,  the  children  dress  in  cos- 
tumes which  they  themselves  have  devised,  and  parade 
up  and  down  the  streets.  In  the  evening,  certain  areas 
are  blocked  off  from  the  traffic  and  the  streets  are  left 
free  for  the  older  merrymakers.  A  church  might, 
with  the  help  of  its  young  people,  produce  a  street 


1 88       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

pageant  of  such  worth  that  it  would  make  a  lasting 
impression  upon  the  thousands  who  annually  crowd  the 
streets  to  see  the  masqueraders,  and  might  readily 
supersede  the  ordinary  type. 

No  holy  fete  and  festal  day  should  be  neglected  by 
the  church.  Thanksgiving  has  in  the  past  been  cele- 
brated in  an  altogether  different  manner  than  was 
originally  intended  by  the  Pilgrim  Fathers,  as  evi- 
denced by  the  small  handful  of  people  who  usually  at- 
tend the  church  service  to  render  thanks,  and  the 
large  crowd  at  the  place  of  amusement.  This  day  can 
very  well  be  made  the  occasion  of  an  event  worthy  of 
its  original  significance  if  a  program  artistic  and  stu- 
pendous enough  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  whole 
community  is  staged.  Similar  methods  of  commemo- 
rating or  celebrating  national  or  religious  festivals  can 
likewise  be  planned,  which  will  emphasize  their  signifi- 
cance and  make  them  other  than  occasions  of  gas- 
tronomic and  emotional  excesses. 

Annual  gatherings. — Outdoor  pageantry  might 
well  take  an  important  place  in  all  community  gather- 
ings such  as  County  and  State  Fairs,  Soldier  Reunions, 
Old  Settler's  Days,  and  Plowing  Matches.  Thousands 
of  people  attend  such  celebrations  annually,  the  chief 
attractions  being  the  crowd,  the  spectacular  events 
where  men  and  women  risk  life  and  limb,  and  the  rac- 
ing. With  but  few  exceptions,  the  appeal  is  altogether 
sensational  and  of  a  type  which  is  not  always  produc- 
tive of  good.  Most  people,  after  a  day  of  such  diver- 
sion, come  home  tired  and  disgusted  and  unfit  for 
their  daily  tasks.  A  performance  utilizing  the  best 
talent  of  a  county  or  district  would  add  to  the  attrac- 
tiveness of  any  such  gathering  and  give  satisfaction  to 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  189 

the  aesthetic,  religious,  and  intellectual  desires  of  many 
people  in  the  smaller,  out-of-the-way  communities,  who 
are  isolated,  as  it  were,  and  unable  to  see  the  better 
performances,  dramatic  and  musical. 

Simple  dramatizations  for  group  meetings. — Even 
the  more  simple  demonstrations  of  the  church  school 
can  be  a  means  of  teaching  religious  truths  and  fur- 
nishing entertainment  which  is  inspirational.  In  hos- 
pital wards,  and  homes  for  the  aged  and  destitute  are 
inmates  who  ache  for  touch  wath  outside  life.  Older 
church  school  children  may  give  dramatizations  in 
jails.  Shop  meetings  also  offer  an  opportunity  to  a  live 
church.  Many  men  and  women  during  their  rest  pe- 
riod eagerly  listen  to  apt  and  well  chosen  dramatiza- 
tions. The  noon  rest  hour  has  been  so  used  in  the  old 
country  to  teach  history  and  literature.  Often  there 
amateurs  go  from  place  to  place  acting  out  simple  folk 
tales  and  historical  incidents.  By  similar  methods  in 
our  cities,  the  church  may  interest  individuals  in  God's 
message  and  his  house. 

The  Home 

Dramatics  in  the  home?  Yes,  the  home  offers  more 
opportunities  for  dramatic  expression  than  any  other 
institution.  Finger  plays,  singing  games,  rhythmic 
exercises,  tableaux,  charades,  puppets,  bottle  dolls, 
pantomimes,  story  plays,  masquerades,  and  all  ''make- 
believe"  play,  as  has  already  been  mentioned,  are  com- 
mon to  homes  where  the  play  spirit  has  not  been 
crushed. 

Home  recreation  and  dramatic  festivals. — Happy 
the  home  which  is  made  a  place  of  play  for  all  the 
members  of  the  family — where  father  comes  home 


190       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

from  work  and  gets  his  recreation  in  a  wholesome 
froHc  with  the  children,  where  mother  keeps  young  in 
spirit  and  health  by  becoming  a  playmate  and  a  partner 
in  the  games  of  childhood.  Such  a  home  becomes  a 
center  of  common  interest  and  understanding. 

Seasonal  festivals,  birthdays,  and  special  vacation 
trips  afford  pleasurable  and  profitable  recreation.  Con- 
sider the  enjoyment  which  comes  to  all  the  members  of 
the  family  through  the  home  Christmas  tree  and  the 
Santa  Claus.  Of  course  the  father  who  puts  on  white 
whiskers  and  dresses  in  red  garments  which  have  been 
extended  to  proper  proportions  by  several  feather  pil- 
lows, takes  part  in  such  dramatization  for  the  sake  of 
the  children — that  is,  he  states  that  as  his  reason.  It 
is  a  question,  however,  who  gets  the  most  genuine 
pleasure — the  children  thrilled  with  excitement,  the 
mother  whose  careful  planning  and  effort  has  helped 
make  the  festive  occasion  a  success,  or  the  father  who 
puffs  and  sweats  as  he  does  droll  antics  and  jingles 
sleigh  bells  in  imitation  of  "Jo^^y  Old  Saint  Nick." 
Through  dramatic  undertakings  this  Christmas  spirit 
can  be  kept  alive  all  the  year  and  the  fireside  hour,  the 
half-holiday,  and  the  Sunday  recreation  period  made 
occasions  of  real  joy. 

A  play  training  school. — Home  play  can  be  made 
educative  in  every  sense  of  the  word.  One  busy 
woman  of  the  writer's  acquaintance  controlled  the 
play  of  her  children  in  a  unique  manner.  She  found 
that  she  could  tell  familiar  stories  and  recite  dramatic 
poems  while  she  sewed  and  did  such  work  as  shelling 
peas  or  peeling  potatoes.  These  stories  the  children 
dramatized  in  pantomime  or  through  project  methods. 
One  of  the  favorites  was  the  Lady  of  Shalot. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  191 

For  this  play  the  children  improvised  dolls  and  stage- 
settings.  Their  ingenuity  in  creative  effort  knew  no 
limitations.  Twigs  stuck  in  spools  served  as  trees; 
pebbles  marked  the  river  course;  the  island  and  castle 
were  built  of  rocks;  the  mirror  was  a  small  shaving 
glass;  the  heroes  and  heroines  were  rag-  and  clothes- 
pin dolls  dressed  in  odds  and  ends  of  material;  the 
boat  was  a  small,  milk-white  pickle  dish;  and  the  gal- 
lant charger  was  a  toy  donkey. 

O  yes,  to  the  adult,  such  improvisement  seems  amus- 
ing, but  the  ready  imagination  of  the  children  accepted 
and  transformed  the  clumsiest  of  these  substitutes  with 
no  embarrassment.  Day  after  day  the  Lady  of  Shalot 
acted  out  her  tragedy  with  the  aid  of  the  knights  and 
lesser  personages. 

A  play  training  school  of  religious  expression. — 
Odd  moments  may  be  spent  in  giving  religious  instruc- 
tion. There  is  the  short  period  in  the  evening  just  be- 
fore dinner.  You  have  finished  your  work  downtown, 
have  washed,  and  are  waiting  for  the  potatoes  to  cook. 
Just  then  you  can  stage  a  little  dramatization.  It  can- 
not be  done?  I  see  you  do  not  know  the  *'Jetts."  They 
work  rapidly  and  if  I  am  not  mistaken,  they  will  fur- 
nish you  more  wholesome  recreation  than  the  evening 
paper. 

Dorothy,  the  baby,  will  want  to  climb  on  your  lap 
to  view  the  pen  and  ink  dramatization  taking  place  on 
your  note  book  or  on  the  back  of  an  envelope.  You 
see  a  great  stage  place  is  not  required.  Idanet  and 
Donald  will  jiggle  your  arms  in  their  excitement  and 
cause  such  royal  personages  as  King  Saul  and  Solomon 
in  all  his  glory  to  be  constructed  with  wavy  legs;  but 
that  doesn't  matter.    Wavy  legs  and  awkwardly  placed 


19^       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

arms  do  not  embarrass  the  "Jetts"  or  hamper  their 
movements.  Certainly,  you  can  draw  them.  It  is  a 
simple  matter.  Here  they  are.  You  will  find  a  whole 
book  full  of  such  characters  which  you  can  call  on  the 
stage  if  you  will  send  for  Wade  C.  Smith's  The  Little 
Jetts  Telling  Bible  Stories,  The  Sunday  School  Times 
Publishing  Company. 

^  ^  ^  ?  i 

Figure  i  is  David.  He  is  carrying  provisions  to  his  brothers, 
who  are  fighting  the  Philistines.  You  can  tell  him  by  the  fact 
that  he  has  a  basket  in  one  hand  and  a  shepherd's  crook  over 
his  shoulder.  Figure  2  is  the  mighty  Goliath  clothed  in  heavy 
armor  and  bearing  a  heavy  shield.  Figure  3  is  in  a  great  hurry. 
Figure  4  is  expressing  great  joy.  Figure  5  shows  how  easy  it 
is  to  costume  a  woman  "Jett." 

The  "J^tts"  are  only  a  few  of  the  many  players  who 
may  be  called  into  the  home  to  teach  the  children  the 
great  truths  of  Christianity.  I  am  sure  that  many 
fathers  and  mothers  will  want  to  get  better  acquainted 
with  all  these  teachers  of  religion. 

Books  for  Reference 

Jay  S.  Stowell,  Making  Missions  Real. 

Constance  D'Arcy  Mackay,  Patriotic  Drama  in  Your 

Town. 
Elizabeth  Erwin  Miller,  The  Dramatisation  of  Bible 

Stories. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  193 

Percival  Chubb  and  Associates,  Festivals  and  Plays. 
Helen   L.   Willcox,  Mission  Study   Through  Educa- 
tional Dramatics. 
Stella  G.  S.  Perry,  When  Mother  Lets  Us  Act. 
Wade  C.  Smith,  The  Little  Jetts  Telling  Bible  Stories. 


194       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 


CHAPTER  XIII 

THE  VALUES  OF  EDUCATIONAL  DRAMA- 
TICS 

Those  who  have  had  practical  experience  in  the 
use  of  Educational  Dramatics  soon  come  to  realize  the 
benefits  derived  from  such  properly  supervised  expres- 
sion. The  growth  and  development  of  players  through 
such  activity  is  obvious.  A  single  production  may 
transform  the  life  of  an  individual.  Community  re- 
births, also,  are  not  uncommon. 

The  Education  of  the  Participants 

The  individual  participants,  as  has  been  frequently 
stated,  are  the  chief  concern  of  the  leaders  in  the  Edu- 
cational Dramatic  movement.  They  receive  the  pri- 
mary attention.  It  is  through  them  that  the  community 
is  reached  and  Kingdom  interests  advanced. 

Emotions  are  regulated.— Participation  in  dra- 
matic productions  provides  the  player  with  "moral  ex- 
perience by  proxy."  The  interpretation  of  characters 
initiates  him  into  a  variety  of  morally  uplifting  expe- 
riences. The  individual  who  under  scientific  direc- 
tion enters  whole-heartedly  and  spontaneously  into  his 
part  in  an  educational  dramatic  production  is  stirred 
by  the  emotions  and  inspired  by  the  impulses  which 
prompted  the  character  he  plays.  The  stimuli  and  his 
responses,  mental  and  spiritual,  are  not  greatly  differ- 
ent from  what  they  would  be  if  he  were  living  the  life 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  195 

portrayed.  In  such  experiences  the  great  law  of  cause 
and  effect  is  made  clear  and  sometimes  is  more  vividly 
impressed  upon  the  mind  than  in  the  experiences  of 
actual  life.  Crime,  deceit,  disloyalty,  and  the  virtues 
are  shown  in  true  relationships.  To  play  the  part  of 
the  villain  is  to  realize  the  inner  sources  of  his  outer 
action  and  the  injury  resulting  to  himself  and  to  so- 
ciety. The  player  enters  into  self-knowledge  through 
widened  knowledge  of  humanity. 

Edward  T.  Steiner,  in  his  book  Uncle  Joe's  Lincoln, 
throws  an  illuminating  side  light  on  the  value  of  train- 
ing the  emotions  in  play.  Uncle  Joe,  the  hero  of  the 
book,  was  a  Hungarian  who  came  to  America  about 
the  time  of  the  Civil  War.  He  enlisted  in  the  North- 
ern army,  but  lacking  the  spirit  of  patriotism  which 
carried  on  the  American  men  of  the  North  and  South, 
he  deserted,  was  later  captured,  and  sentenced  to  death. 
When  reprieved  by  Lincoln,  he  justified  the  President's 
faith  by  later  heroic  action.  His  love  and  reverence  for 
Lincoln,  his  saviour,  was  a  spiritual  absorption.  When 
he  returned  to  Hungary  he  secured  a  room  in  the 
Steiner  home  and  there  influenced  Edward  Steiner  and 
his  young  companions  to  play  the  part  of  Lincoln  in 
their  games.  They  governed  themselves  by  his  princi- 
ples. The  Steiner  the  world  knows  to-day,  together 
with  a  group  of  honest,  freedom-loving,  foreign-born 
sons  of  America,  reflects  the  spirit  of  Lincoln  as  a  re- 
sult. 

To  a  limited  degree,  at  least,  ideal  living  in  play  life 
cannot  but  animate  the  personal  life  with  high  ideals. 
The  lesson  of  how  to  inhibit  wrong  conduct  is  learned. 
From  the  controlled  environment,  the  child  moves  out 
into  the  uncontrolled  environment  of  the  larger  world, 


196       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

fortified  by  attitudes  in  which  moral  ideals  are  en- 
trenched. 

Cultural  interests  created. — Noticeable  is  the  in- 
terest Educational  Dramatics  creates  in  the  subject- 
matter  dramatized.  Children  and  grown  people  sum- 
moned to  interest  in  a  drama  eagerly  study  all  associated 
subjects.  The  Educational  Alliance  which  functions 
in  New  York  city  to  Americanize  the  immigrant  popu- 
lation of  the  East  Side,  in  1903  established  an  educa- 
tional theater.  Emma  Sheridan  Fry,  as  dramatic  di- 
rector, produced  Shakespeare's  Tempest  with  a  cast 
selected  from  the  neighborhood  people. 

The  reaction  of  the  community  to  this  production 
was  of  unusual  educational  significance.  The  interest 
was  so  intense  that  grown  people  as  well  as  the  children 
wanted  to  study  the  play  text.  Older  boys  and  girls 
became  interested.  Foreign  parents,  many  of  them 
unable  to  read,  pored  over  Shakespeare  with  the  as- 
sistance of  their  child  tutors.  A  run  was  made  on  two 
nearby  libraries.  The  demand  for  The  Tempest 
could  not  be  supplied;  and  so  Alice  Minnie  Herts 
Heniger,  the  business  manager  of  the  theater,  arranged 
with  a  good  publisher  for  a  paper-covered  edition 
which  would  sell  for  ten  cents.  In  less  than  a  month 
a  thousand  copies  were  sold — one  thousand  copies  of 
one  of  Shakespeare's  plays  in  one  of  the  most  con- 
gested tenement  districts  in  New  York  city ! 

What  was  done  by  the  Educational  Alliance  to  sup- 
port American  and  family  interest  can  be  done  by  the 
church.  Drama  may  evoke  interest  in  social,  civic,  and 
religious  problems.  Consider  the  value  accruing  to  a 
church  if  one  thousand  people  in  a  community  turn  to 
the  Bible  to  study  the  background  of  a  religious  drama. 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  197 

Measure  the  result  of  focusing  the  attention  of  the 
same  number  of  people  on  some  specific  social  prob- 
lem and  its  associate  interests. 

No  better  plan  of  creating  an  active  sympathy  can 
be  formulated.  The  person  is  stirred  voluntarily  to 
seek  for  truth.  In  fact,  he  is  made  eager  for  knowl- 
edge. So,  the  church  may  find  opportunity  to  teach  and 
to  train  individuals  for  life. 

A  substantial  morality  is  achieved. — Educators 
are  beginning  to  see  the  positive  values  coming  from 
directed  expressional  activities.  Taking  as  their  work- 
ing basis  the  idea  that  each  instinct  in  the  child  is 
placed  there  by  the  Great  Educator  for  a  definite  pur- 
pose, they  have  endeavored  to  harmonize  their  methods 
of  teaching  with  the  child's  nature.  Their  work  is 
thereby  facilitated  and  the  child  is  allowed  to  develop 
his  best  selfhood  in  a  natural  and  pleasurable  way.  It 
will  thus  be  seen  that  such  a  premise  changes  the  whole 
emphasis  of  education  from  one  of  knowing  to  one  of 
becoming.  Full  development  is  the  main  idea  rather 
than  the  acquisition  of  knowledge.  Each  impulse  is 
studied  and  the  "why-for"  of  it  learned.  Expression 
is  then  encouraged,  and  through  it,  such  virtues  as  in- 
itiative, courage,  friendliness,  sympathy,  helpfulness, 
generosity,  and  reverence  are  made  real.  They  become 
a  vital  part  of  the  child's  life.  By  expression  the  child 
thus  learns  to  know  himself,  to  live  properly  in  social 
relationships,  and  to  acknowledge  and  harmonize  him- 
self with  his  God  and  Maker. 

Failure  to  recognize  any  of  these  instincts  when  they 
appear  may  do  an  irretrievable  harm.  As  brought  out 
by  William  James  in  his  chapter  on  *Tnstinct,"  many 
of  them  are  implanted  in  the  individual  to  give  rise  to 


198       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

certain  habits  and  are  but  transient.  If  not  given  op- 
portunity for  expression  they  soon  cease  to  function. 

This  may  explain  in  part,  at  least,  why  children  of 
the  cotton  mills  who  have  been  denied  the  play  of  nor- 
mal childhood  have  lost  the  sense  of  wonder  and  an 
appreciation  for  the  beautiful.  It  also  gives  a  plausible 
explanation  of  why  the  boy  who  has  been  brought  up 
without  companions  may  be  hampered  all  his  life  by 
his  unsocial  attitude.  If  chickens  who  have  not  heard 
the  cluck  of  the  mother  hen  for  several  days  will  never 
heed  the  call  thereafter,  and  if  ducks,  which  normally 
take  pleasure  in  getting  wet,  lose  their  instinctive 
desire  for  swimming  when  kept  away  from  the  water 
at  a  certain  period  of  life,  it  is  also  reasonable  to  sup- 
pose that  a  girl  who  is  not  allowed  an  expression  of 
her  maternal  nature  in  childhood  will  be  cold  and  un- 
sympathetic toward  children  in  adult  life,  and  that  a 
boy  who  has  his  instinct  for  reverence  crushed  by  the 
irreverent  attitude  of  his  parents  may  at  a  later  period 
fail  to  sense  the  deeper  spiritual  things. 

The  fact  that  all  instincts  may  be  expressed  in  dra- 
matic form  makes  careful  consideration  of  dramatics 
necessary.  It  is  as  though  the  teacher  said  to  the  child, 
"Exercise  thyself  unto  godliness."  He  does  an  incal- 
culable harm  who  in  training  the  child  tries  to  sup- 
press God's  method  by  which  the  best  moral  selfhood 
is  achieved — that  full  development  which  is  nothing 
more  or  less  than  Christlikeness. 

A  means  of  religious  expression  is  furnished. — 
The  preacher  is  not  the  only  religious  teacher.  Call- 
ings other  than  the  ministry  are  sacred.  Oratorical 
ability  is  not  the  only  talent  which  may  be  consecrated 
for  Christian  service.    God  has  used  some  voices  in  a 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  199 

remarkable  way  to  sing  his  praises ;  a  Jenny  Lind,  men 
like  Sankey,  and  that  soulful  singer  Chaplain  McCabe. 
He  has  also  used  the  artistic  ability  of  a  Michael  An- 
gelo,  a  Raphael,  and  a  Hofmann  to  portray  religious 
truths.  Dramatic  expression  is  no  less  an  art  than 
the  others,  and  may  in  a  degree  as  they,  reflect  the 
spirit  of  Christlikeness. 

Through  dramatization  young  people,  children,  and 
even  adults  are  given  an  opportunity  to  portray  their 
loftiest  religious  ideas.  Nor  do  they  all  need  to  par- 
ticipate in  the  acting  itself  in  order  to  reap  some  of  the 
highest  benefits.  The  acting  is  but  one  of  the  pleasures 
accruing  in  a  production.  The  poor,  little  hunchbacked 
girl  with  a  big  soul,  in  joyous  anticipation,  may  offer 
the  artistic  work  of  her  fingers;  and  the  awkward, 
bunglesome  boy,  who  has  been  declared  impossible  be- 
cause his  mind  is  wide-gauged  and  always  jumps  the 
narrow-gauge  track  laid  by  scholastic  pedagogues,  can 
use  his  inventive  genius  in  the  lighting  department  or 
in  arranging  curtains  and  drops.  Even  the  little  chil- 
dren can  be  given  slight  tasks  and  impressed  with  the 
idea  that  in  assisting  they  are  ministering  and  preach- 
ing the  Christian  message. 

Community  Interests  Are  Advanced 

Community  interests  command  the  sincere  respect  of 
the  church.  Religion  is  far  more  than  a  "meeting- 
house affair."  The  spirit  of  Christ  projects  itself  into 
everyday  life.  It  is  in  this  larger  program  that  drama- 
tics plays  an  important  part. 

Character-building  recreation  is  provided. — The 
majority  of  people  like  to  enter  what  Jane  Addams 
calls  the  world  of  dreams.    They  desire  to  escape  the 


200        PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

oppression  of  the  actual.  They  crave  the  new,  the  un- 
usual, the  strange  and  uncommon.  They  want  to  for- 
get the  common  everyday  occurrences  that  they  may 
enjoy  new  sensations  which  thrill  and  exhilarate.  Es- 
pecially in  the  city,  where  business  life  and  living  con- 
ditions are  most  oppressive,  is  this  longing  manifest. 
Unless  a  wholesome  means  of  escape  is  provided,  al- 
most anything  that  removes  the  individual  from  the 
humdrum  of  existence  is  welcome — drugs,  drink,  stir- 
ring adventure,  and  even  crime. 

Agencies  that  are  indifferent  to  the  causes  and  re- 
sults of  social  and  moral  degeneracy  have  not  been 
slow  in  recognizing  this  fact.  Harpies,  they  have 
preyed  upon  the  weary  victims  of  modern  commercial- 
ism. Moving  picture  houses  which  appeal  to  perverted 
tastes,  vaudeville  shows  which  at  best  can  only  be 
called  indecent,  and  theaters  which  feature  domestic 
infidelity  and  intrigue  and  pander  to  sensuous  desires, 
everywhere  attract  the  jaded  people  by  their  lurid  and 
suggestive  advertising.  Common  welfare  is  given  lit- 
tle consideration.  Emotions  which  if  properly  stimu- 
lated would  uplift  and  ennoble  mankind  are  perverted 
for  commercial  purposes.  Once  they  become  perverted 
they  are  irresistible,  and  people  will  sacrifice  almost 
everything  for  their  satisfaction. 

Shorter  hours  and  better  wages  for  laboring  classes 
and  regular  hours  for  clerical  workers  have  only  added 
to  the  seriousness  of  the  problem.  Commercialized  in- 
stitutions have  grown  in  influence  until  they  largely 
absorb  the  attention  of  the  working  people  during  the 
recreation  period.  They  have  so  influenced  American 
ideals  and  institutions  that  conditions  are  becoming 
serious.     Through  lewd  and   lascivious   bedchamber 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  201 

drama  the  sanctity  of  the  marriage  relation  is  made  a 
subject  of  jest;  the  moral  foundations  of  our  national 
life  are  being  undermined. 

Such  facts  must  be  recognized.  Not  only  is  the 
church  troubled.  The  better  element  of  the  profes- 
sional stage  is  shocked.  Dramas  which  would  have 
been  condemned  ten  years  ago  arouse  little  adverse 
criticism  to-day.  Early  Puritanism  may  have  barred 
from  our  country  many  worthy  things,  but  it  also  kept 
from  us  the  slime  and  filth  which  is  now  threatening 
to  inundate  us. 

The  remedy?  The  desire  for  dramatic  expression 
cannot  be  suppressed.  Rules  and  anathema,  in  this 
age  of  indifference,  cannot  change  what  hunger  and 
privation  does  not  crush.  Satisfaction  will  be  found. 
People  must  be  given  an  opportunity  to  forget  them- 
selves, to  live  in  new  situations,  to  experience  new 
sensations,  to  dream  dreams.  Direction  of  the  dra- 
matic desires  rather  than  suppression  must  be  the  aim. 
Community  drama  and  pageantry  will  furnish  a  means 
of  expression  at  once  helpful  to  the  individual  and  to 
the  community. 

The  restlessness  which  drives  men  to  drink  may  be 
diverted  into  the  harmless  and  satisfying  activities  of 
the  dramatic  field  and  society  be  the  gainer.  The  so- 
cially and  sometimes  physically  starved  girl  of  the 
tenement  districts  can  escape  her  world  of  sordid,  dis- 
agreeable fact  and  enjoy  in  dramatic  expression  the 
beauty,  love,  and  friendship  she  craves.  The  boy 
eager  to  do  the  thrilling,  spectacular  thing,  thus  may 
impersonate  the  hero  he  admires,  and  in  the  imper- 
sonation come  to  an  appreciation  of  the  qualities  which 
have  made  his  hero  a  character  worthy  of  emulation. 


202       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

Dramatics  can  be  recreative  and  in  every  sense  of  the 
word,  constructive. 

Social  contacts  are  made  possible. — Any  large 
dramatic  production  has  a  socializing  effect.  Re- 
hearsals create  friendships,  bind  people  together  by 
common  ties,  and  develop  a  social  consciousness.  Es- 
pecially is  this  true  in  the  rural  districts  where  social 
contact  is  lacking.  In  the  "slack  season"  people  long 
to  get  together  in  a  friendly  way.  The  community 
festival  or  drama  affords  the  opportunity.  It  helps  to 
satisfy  the  demands  of  the  social  nature;  it  breaks  up 
cliques  and  factions  which  tend  to  check  community 
enterprises. 

Such  is  the  socializing  influence  of  pageantry  that 
people  who  have  grown  disgusted  with  "small  town" 
littleness  may  gain  a  new  interest  in  community  wel- 
fare. Neighborhood  quarrels,  petty  disputes,  and  ill- 
concealed  jealousies  are  forgotten  in  the  pleasures  of 
cooperative  effort.  A  new  spirit  is  engendered.  It  is 
as  though  the  community  had  experienced  a  new  birth. 

The  popularity  of  such  dramatic  productions  in 
rural  districts  is  never  questioned  by  those  who  have 
successfully  undertaken  them.  Farmers  will  come  for 
miles  to  rehearsals  if  the  subject  matter  is  of  interest. 
In  one  neighborhood  in  Indiana  where  a  biblical  pag- 
eant was  produced  a  wealthy  farmer  attended  all  re- 
hearsals, though  his  part  was,  as  he  expressed  it,  but 
that  of  "playing  thunder."  In  one  scene,  with  certain 
mechanical  devices,  he  produced  a  sound  resembling 
thunder.  Others  playing  minor  roles  expressed  the 
same  interest  and  delight. 

Foreigners  are  Americanized. — We  in  this  country 
should  realize  that  an  Americanization  program   is 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  203 

something  other  than  a  mere  sugar-coating  of  the  for- 
eigner so  that  he  may  be  swallowed  and  absorbed  at 
once  into  the  body  politic,  without  leaving  a  bad  taste. 
Our  new  citizen  resents  such  an  attitude.  He  has  a 
racial  pride.  He  is  conscious  of  certain  superiorities. 
He  avoids  melting-pot  experiences.  He  usually  wants 
to  become  an  American,  but  he  also  wants  America 
to  avail  herself  of  his  racial  inheritance  and  he  has 
much  that  we  might  well  make  our  own.  Consider 
achievements  in  the  world  of  music,  painting,  and 
sculpturing  alone.  A  program  of  intelligent  apprecia- 
tion will  do  more  to  foster  mutual  understanding  and 
promote  a  spirit  of  national  unity  than  all  merely  chari- 
table advances. 

In  encouraging  the  artistic  expression  of  the  foreign 
peoples,  the  schools  and  settlements  have  been  work- 
ing with  such  end  in  view.  They  have  realized  that  the 
drama  is  an  integrating  influence  which  overcomes  race 
and  class  prejudices  and  awakens  new  sympathies  and 
appreciations.  Hull  House,  Chicago,  for  years  has 
carried  out  a  dramatic  program  of  plays,  pageants,  and 
festivals.  The  production,  by  a  colony  of  Greeks,  of 
Ajax  of  Sophocles,  a  classic  Greek  drama  in  ancient 
text  which  Jane  Addams  describes  in  Twenty  Years  at 
Hull  House,  is  but  one  of  the  many  dramas  staged  in 
the  settlement  theater. 

Henry  Street  Settlement,  New  York  city,  likewise, 
has  stimulated  race  pride,  race  intelligence,  and  patri- 
otism through  dramatic  undertakings.  An  appeal  is 
made  to  the  racial  and  religious  interests.  Cycles  of 
sacred  rituals,  poetical  interpretations  of  ceremonies 
cherished  by  the  Jewish  peoples  have  been  carried  out. 
Through  such  dramatic  festivals  the  community  as  a 


204       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

whole  has  been  led  into  an  appreciation  of  the  rich 
heritage  of  Hebrew  people  and  of  their  special  talents. 
In  191 1  the  ten  settlements  of  Brooklyn,  New  York, 
united  in  giving  "The  Pageant  of  Patriots."  Each 
settlement  was  responsible  for  an  episode.  Thus  one 
depicted  scenes  from  the  life  of  Daniel  Boone,  another 
from  the  life  of  Franklin,  and  another  from  the  life  of 
Lincoln.  The  episodic  nature  made  possible  separate 
rehearsals.  Fully  ten  thousand  people,  a  large  per- 
centage of  them  being  of  foreign  birth  or  of  foreign 
parentage,  made  up  the  audience.  Who  can  estimate 
the  value  of  such  a  performance? 

Kingdom  Interests  Are  Advanced 

Christ's  kingdom  will  not  be  brought  in  by  interces- 
sory prayer  alone.  World  evangelization  demands  a 
program  which  will  create  new  sympathies  and  stimu- 
late to  Christian  activity.  Educational  Dramatics,  al- 
ready, is  meeting  this  need. 

World-problems  presented  vividly. — ^The  prayer  of 
the  missionaries  and  other  Christian  workers  every- 
where has  been  for  a  means  whereby  they  might  show 
world  needs  in  so  vivid  a  way  that  people  would  be  in- 
spired to  give  themselves  and  their  money  to  carry  on 
the  great  unfinished  work  of  the  Master. 

Through  dramatic  presentation  their  prayer  is  being 
answered.  Several  of  the  most  effective  means  by 
which  knowledge  is  transmitted  may  thus  be  used  to 
make  a  vivid  and  lasting  impression;  the  beauty  of 
rhythmic  word  and  music,  movement  and  artistic  color- 
ing, pungent  odors  of  burning  incense,  and,  to  the  par- 
ticipants, values  which  come  through  the  motor  nerve 
centers,  in  the  acting  itself.    In  an  attractive  and  true- 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  205 

to-life  way,  cross  sections  of  the  home  land,  Africa, 
India,  and  China  have  been  shown,  and  shown  so  real- 
istically that  the  audience  has  experienced  the  same 
longing  to  be  of  service  that  workers  on  the  field  feel 
when  they  see  the  great  soul  hunger  for  the  Gospel. 

Dr.  George  Mecklenberg  says  of  such  method:  *'It 
would  be  difficult  to  overstate  the  value  of  pageantry 
in  Missionary  Education.  We  have  heard  about  mis- 
sions and  we  have  read  about  missions,  but  we  need  to 
come  to  action  and  we  will  not  do  this  until  we  see  and 
feel  missions.  The  India  Mass  Movement  Scene  as 
presented  in  the  Area  Retreats  conducted  by  the  De- 
partment of  Evangelism,  helped  in  a  marvelous  way  to 
make  us  feel  the  throb  of  the  dying  world.  It  aroused 
a  veritable  burning  passion  for  world  salvation.  It 
seems  to  me  that  we  are  face  to  face  with  a  new  method 
of  teaching  missionary  fact,  and  the  sooner  this  can  be 
developed  and  made  of  service,  the  better  for  the 
church." 

It  is  not  only  the  Christian  workers  who  feel  the  need 
of  a  vivid  concrete  method  of  presentation.  All  so- 
cial and  civic  leaders  voice  the  same  desire.  Many  a 
faithful  worker  struggling  against  almost  overwhelm- 
ing odds  makes  the  remark :  'T  have  done  my  very 
best  to  make  known  Christian  facts  and  to  move  my 
people  to  action.  I  don't  seem  to  be  able  to  arouse 
them  from  indifference.  If  only  I  could  make  them 
see  conditions  in  their  proper  relationship !" 

Dramatic  presentation  makes  possible  this  very 
showing  of  facts  in  proper  relationships.  It  is  often 
even  more  effective  to  the  average  person  than  actual 
first-hand  observation.  x\s  the  magnifying  glass  fo- 
cuses  sunlight,   so  man  through   the  dramatic  sense 


2o6       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

gathers  all  parts  of  a  truth  into  focus — a  dramatic 
theme;  and  with  such  theme  burns  facts,  life,  and 
truth  into  the  minds  of  the  audience. 

Vocational  guidance  supplied. — The  ability  to  in- 
auce  life  processes  through  dramatic  expression  makes 
it  a  fitting  means  for  vocational  guidance.  What  may 
be  expected  of  a  trade,  its  opportunities,  rewards,  and 
obligations  can  be  shown.  And,  greater  than  all,  from 
the  angle  of  the  church,  the  results  of  choice  of  voca- 
tion can  be  portrayed  and  portrayed  from  'the  Chris- 
tian viewpoint.  The  sordidness  of  self-centered  ideals 
may  be  revealed.  Narrow  and  bigoted  educational, 
social,  and  political  aspirations  lose  their  halos.  The 
individual  is  challenged  to  service,  since  the  needs  and 
opportunities  of  various  callings  are  visualized  and 
the  rewards  and  satisfaction  of  sacrificial  effort  are 
made  manifest.    Experience  justifies  these  conclusions. 

The  Rev.  H.  H.  Downey,  a  pastor  in  Syracuse,  New 
York,  has  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  young  people 
in  his  church  who  have  made  Christian  lifework  deci- 
sions. Seventy- five  of  these  are  attending  study  classes 
each  week  in  preparation  for  that  service.  He  says 
that  pageants,  produced  from  time  to  time  in  his 
church,  have  been  in  large  measure  responsible  for  this 
result.  Bishop  F.  T.  Keeney  while  executive  secretary 
of  the  Department  of  Spiritual  Resources  in  the  Cen- 
tenary Conservation  Committee,  produced  with  Dr. 
C.  E.  Powell,  in  an  impromptu  way,  in  the  New  Or- 
leans and  Chattanooga  Areas,  the  India  Mass  Move- 
ment Scene.  He  reports  that  wherever  they  went  the 
people  were  profoundly  influenced,  and  that  in  many 
places  definite  Christian  lifework  decisions  were  made. 

The  large  number  of  the  pageants  and  demonstra- 


SCENE  FROM  PAGEAXT,  -THE  WAYFARER" 


IN  RELIGIOUS  EDUCATION  207 

tions  produced  during  the  Centenary  Celebration  of 
the  Methodist  churches  in  Columbus,  Ohio,  in  1919, 
were  especially  evangelistic  in  their  appeal,  so  much  so 
that  leading  clergymen  from  all  over  the  world  were 
glad  to  lend  them  their  support,  often  to  the  extent  of 
taking  roles  themselves.  ''He  took  part  in  the  Chinese 
Exhibits  and  became  so  interested  that  he  volunteered 
for  foreign  service  as  a  missionary  in  China,"  and, 
*'Yes,  four  of  the  girls  in  my  Japanese  demonstrations 
are  entering  college  this  fall  in  preparation  for  Chris- 
tian service,"  are  common  statements  of  those  who 
directed  such  activities. 

World  evangelization. — At  a  period  when  Chris- 
tianity was  facing  one  of  its  greatest  crises,  that  of 
teaching  a  people  who  knew  not  the  great  facts  of 
Christendom,  the  religious  drama  called  by  the  early 
church  "The  Miracles"  proved  to  be  a  most  effective 
means  of  gaining  converts  for  the  faith.  Scenes  from 
the  life  of  the  Lord  were  portrayed,  and  portrayed  so 
vividly  that  a  people  who  had  no  interest  in  the  Chris- 
tian religion  became  a  part  of  this  religious  experience, 
and  being  touched  were  led  to  say  as  did  the  Roman 
centurion,  "Truly  this  was  the  Son  of  God." 

In  our  time  the  drama  may  be  no  less  a  force  for 
righteousness.  Consider  the  effect  of  the  "Wayfarer 
Pageant"  given  in  Madison  Square  Garden,  New  York 
city.  Jewish  office  girls,  Italian  laborers,  foreigners 
from  the  downtown  section  of  the  city,  actors  from 
the  professional  stage,  and  church  people  from  the  up- 
town districts  and  suburban  villages — many  races,  sev- 
eral creeds,  different  denominations,  all  were  united  in 
the  presentation  of  this  great  passion  drama.  And 
the  audiences — for  a  full  month  the  production  ran. 


2o8       PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 

People  came  from  all  parts  of  the  city,  from  all  walks 
of  life — millionaires,  the  fagged  and  jaded  theater- 
goers, the  commuters,  the  saints  of  the  church,  the 
weary  dwellers  in  the  congested  districts.  Some  of 
them  heard  the  story  of  the  Christ  for  the  first  time, 
others  of  them,  crushed  and  broken  by  the  ravages  of 
war,  were  given  a  new  faith,  and  all  of  them  were 
held  in  a  spell  of  reverence.  It  was  as  though  a  voice 
out  of  the  heavenlies  had  spoken  words  of  comfort, 
hope  and  strength. 

And  so  may  it  be  everywhere.  Always  and  in  all 
places,  whether  it  be  outdoor  or  indoor,  religious  drama 
properly  presented,  has  a  distinctly  spiritual  effect.  It 
touches  the  heart.  Here  is  Christianity's  opportunity. 
God  has  prepared  the  world  for  a  religious  awakening. 
The  inherent  appreciation  of  the  dramatic  has  opened  a 
way  for  the  Christian  message.  Surely  the  time  has 
come  for  the  church  to  speak,  to  say  to  the  drama,  this 
new,  and  yet  old  prophet  of  righteousness,  "Go  ye  into 
all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature." 

Books  for  Reference 

Mary  Master  Needham,  Folk  Festivals. 

Percy  Mackaye,  The  Civic  Theatre. 

Emma  Sheridan  Fry,  Educational  Dramatics. 

Alice  Minnie  Herts  Heniger,   The  Kingdom  of  the 

Child. 
Alice    Minnie    Herts,     The    Children's    Educational 

Theater. 
Constance  D'Arcy  Mackay,  Patriotic  Drama  in  Your 

Town. 


INDEX 


Art 

and  religion,  13 

and  drama,  46 

of  the  people,  64 

appreciation  of,  112 

the  new  stage-craft,  131,  159 

understanding  of,  146 

teaching,  179 

Attention 

whole-hearted,  39 

diverted,  126 

how  created  and  sustained,  146 

Audience,    made    participants 
through 
active  interests,  59 
impromptu  reproductions,  91 
music,  95,  134 

Bible,  The 
and  drama,  16 
and  teaching,  105,  113 

Bottle  Dolls,  108,  159 

Children's  Productions,  req- 
uisites 
spontaneity,  85 
written  text  not  essential,  88 
preludes,  prologues,  and  inter- 
polations, 93 
dramatic  illusion,  97 

Church  School,  drama  in 
study  period,  88,  149,  151,  182 
opening    service    of    worship, 

182 
religious  day  school,  183 

Circus 
playing,  43 
attraction  of,  iii 

Color 
purpose  of,  127,  133 
reason  for  each,  129 
harmonies  of,  134 
Hghts,  144 


Commercialized  Drama 
aim  of,  60 
cast,  60 
limitations,  63 

Community  Drama 

fitting  expression,  22,  81 
democratized  theater,  25,  158 
new  art  and  appreciation,  26, 

64,  112,  166 
integrating  force,  59,  118,  165, 

202 
pleasure  in,  82,  202 
organization  for,  139 
uplift  of,  147,  175,  196,  207 
opportunity  for,  186 

Costumes 

keep  simple  for  children,  97 
substitution,  98,  129 
historical  accuracy,  99 
how  secured,  128 
improper,  138 
care  of,  143 

Crime 

misdirected  play,  52,  70,  102, 

200 
age  of  offenders,  76 

Crudity 

not  test,  56 

young  children  overlook,  62, 


Curtains   and    Screens,    100, 
132 

David   and    Goliath,    picture 
drawings,  161 

Directors 

how  developed,  28 
attitude  of,  87 
necessit}'  for,  102,  120 
aim  of,  103,  125,  197 
duties  of,  141 


209 


210        PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 


Dominance,  how  secured,  126 

Drama 
and  religion,  chapter  on,  13 
modem  movements,  21 
the  inner  theater,  44 
types  of,    chapters    on,    146, 

163 
where  to  use,  chapter  on,  177 
value  of,  chapter  on,  194 

Dramatic  Illusion 

psychology  of,  57 
no  limitations  with  children,  61 
new  ideas  concerning,  62 
aids  to,  94,  95,  99,  127,  134 

Dramatic  Motive 
inherent  urge,  19 
chapter  on,  42 
how  satisfied,  49 
regulation  necessary,  51 

Dramatic  Play 

characteristics  of,  42 
colors  all  life,  45 
is  instinctive,  46 
drama  of  arrest,  52 

Educational  Dramatics 

definition  and  purpose,  54,  57 
mental  processes  involved,  57 
vs.  professional  drama,  59,  64 

Education,  missionary 
method,  24,  115,  172 
results,  103,  112,  116,  204,  206 
see  foreigner 

Experience 

by  proxy,  23,  71,  114,  174,  207 

unregulated,  52 

desire  for  new,  70,  201 

regulated,  194 

see  world  of  dreams 

Expression,  dramatic 
demand  for,  46 
how  expressed,  49 
possibilities  of,  53,  113,  197 
creative  effort,  76,  92 
religious,  198 

community,    see    community 
drama 


Foreigner,  The 
his  interests,  80,  158 
method  of  approach  to,  106 
Americanization,  113,  119,  203 
see  unchurched  peoples 

Gang  Spirit,  an  aid,  73 

Good  Samaritan,  The,  Indian 
interpretation  of,  107 

Grease  Paints,  value  of,  100 

Health,  training  in,  iii 

Heroic,  the  appeal  of,  75 

Holy  and  Holidays,  celebra- 
tion of,  22,  187,  190 

Home 

family  interests,  77 
dramatics  in,  148,  189 
training  for  responsibility,  180 
training  school,  190 

Imagination 

dramatic,  how  expressed,  44, 

49 
constructive,  utilized,  69 
creative,  61,  76 
and  dramatic  illusion,  97 

Impersonation 
inner  imitation,  42 
child,  67,  88,  151 
ludicrous,  73 

Instincts  and  Impulses 

their  place  in  education,  38,  46 
transiency  of,  197 
see  dramatic  motive 

Interests 
age,  66,  86 
social,  79 

Interpolations 
fimction  of,  96 
in  cast  reading,  156 
in  missionary  plays,  172 

Introduction  of  Players,  96 

John  Wesley,  dramatization  of, 
108 


INDEX 


211 


Jetts,  The,  191 

Material,  source  of 

play  and  pageant  texts,  83 
directed  imitation,  88 
playing  of  common  incidents, 

•    ^9 

impromptu  reproductions,  90 

stories,  91 

original  productions,  92 

Memory,  age  of  ready,  71 

Miracles  and  Moralities,  19, 
152 

Mount  Rubidoux,  Easter  cel- 
ebration, 23 

Movement  and  Grouping,  125 

Movies 

attendance  at,  48 
efiFects  of,  170,  200 

Music 
and  the  drama,  46 
preludes,  95 
function,  134 
composing,  136 
director  of,  144 

New,  The 

demand  for,  70 
in  terms  of  old,  86 

Oberammergau 

direct  impersonation  of  Christ, 

170 
Passion  play,  175 

Organization,  chapter  on,  139 

Pageant,  The 

outdoor  pageantry,  132 
description  of,  154 

Patriotism 

how  taught,  113 
see  foreigner 


Personnel,  dramatic 
chief  concern,  59 
how  chosen,  86,  89,  122 
rights  of,  124 

movement  and  grouping,  125 
securing  dominance,  126 
relation  to  director,  141 
education  of,  194 

Play  Analysis,  why  and  how, 
85,  124 

Play,  The,  152 

Play  in  Education 

persistence  of  play  spirit,  29 
attitudes  toward,  29 
the  natural  way,  35 
an  eflficient  method,  38 
dramatic  play,  42 
unregulated  play,  52,  70,  102, 
200 

Play  Town,  Teachers'  College, 
89 

Production,  dramatic 

chapters  on,  66,  84,  102,  122, 

139 
impromptu,  90,  91,  118 
study  of,  185 

Properties,  98,  130 

Projects,  159,  190 

Quaker  Meeting,  dramatized, 
178 

Recreation,  educational, 
through 
humorous  dramas,  82 
biblical  pantomimes,  149 
stunts,  150 
operettas,  165 
shadow  plays,  167 
playing  grown  up,  180 
home  festivals,  189 

Sex  Consciousness 

awakening  of,  73 
emotional  sentiment,  75 


212        PAGEANTRY  AND  DRAMATICS 


Spontaneity,  how  induced,  85, 
124,  135 

Stage  Sets 
mental  preparation  for,  94 
simplicity  preferable,  99 
indoor,  131 
adaptations,  132 

Substitution  of 
costumes,  98,  129 
properties,  98,  131 
stage  settings,  100,  132,  137 

Suggestion,  place  of,  62,  97, 131 

Teaching,  dramatics  a  means  of 
imparts  useful  knowledge,  103 
creates  proper  attitudes,  112 
determines  character,  117 

Tempest,  The,  196 

Theater,  Professional 
limited  relationship  with,  13 
compared  with  educational,  59 

Theme,  selecting 
care  in,  66 
age  interests,  66 
social  interests,  78 


Types  of   Dramatic  Produc- 
tions 
individuals  as  players,  146 
inanimate  stage  personnel,  157 
musical  drama,  163 
screen  plays,  167 
religious,  171 

Unchurched  Peoples 

early  church,  18 

and  drama,  106,  189 

influencing,  147 

attracting,  177 

festal  days,   an  opportunity, 
187 
Vaudeville,  attendance  at,  47 
Wayfarer  Pageant,  106,  207 

World  of  Dreams 

dramatic  imagination,  44 
reminiscences,  45 
attraction  of,  68 
youth  and  dream  world,  72 
no  limitations  set,  74 
lost  in,  90 

World  War 

a  stimulus  to  drama,  21 
child  reproductions  of,  43 

Yellow    Jacket,    The,    how 
staged,  62 


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